In a statement in Abuja, NAPTIP’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Vincent Adekoye, said the victims were deceived with promises of scholarships and high-paying job opportunities in countries including Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Instead of legitimate work, they were compelled to participate in organised online fraud and scam operations targeting individuals and organisations abroad.
Director-General Binta Adamu Bello described this as a “new dimension of the human trafficking phenomenon that targets vibrant and intelligent Nigerians,” noting that traffickers specifically sought out young people with computer, IT and language skills.
Upon arrival in Southeast Asia, the youths were placed in controlled facilities where they were trained in romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud and investment scams. Some were enrolled in language programmes and later used as translators or “customer care” agents to deceive targets in the United States, United Kingdom, Ethiopia and Canada, according to NAPTIP.
The victims told authorities they were housed in hostels, provided with gadgets, and forced to meet daily criminal targets under constant surveillance. Those who resisted or failed to comply were reportedly subjected to severe punishment, including torture. Some victims said others who refused orders were killed or had organs harvested, especially younger individuals with no history of smoking, they alleged.
NAPTIP’s operation involved collaboration with civil society partners in the South Asia region, the British Government and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, which helped facilitate emergency travel documents and repatriation for the victims.
Bello said the rescue reflects intensified efforts to dismantle criminal networks that exploit Nigerians and called for deeper international cooperation to disrupt trafficking syndicates. The rescued youths are now undergoing profiling, counselling and rehabilitation as part of their reintegration process