The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued and repatriated 23 Nigerian youths suspected to be victims of human trafficking from Thailand.
Binta Adamu Bello, Director-General of NAPTIP, revealed this on Wednesday while warning the public about a growing trend of trafficking to South Asia for cyber-enabled crimes.
Vincent Adekoye, the head of NAPTIP’s Press and Public Relations Unit, announced the development in a statement headlined ‘DG NAPTIP alerts on new trend of trafficking to the South Asia region for cyber-enabled crimes as the agency rescues 23 victims from Thailand.’
According to the statement, the operation was carried out with the help and collaboration of Eden (Myanmar), as well as essential aid from the British government.
The victims, who arrived in Nigeria, were duped, recruited, and trafficked to Southeast Asian nations such as Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia for cybercrime, including romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and investment scams.
Bello, speaking on the nature of the exploitation, urged all stakeholders to collaborate.
“This is a new dimension of the human trafficking phenomenon that targets vibrant and intelligent Nigerians.
“The trafficker goes after boys and girls who have one skill or the other, but preferably computer and IT skills, and those who do not drink alcohol or smoke.
“They promised them a scholarship and gainful employment,” she said.
She explained that after the victims arrived in their final nations, they were schooled in various scamming techniques.
“Some of them are enrolled in the language school, preferably Chinese, and, within the shortest time, graduate as translators and are offered the role of customer care to deceive their targets,” Bello added.
The NAPTIP boss stated that the victims disclosed that they were compelled to target individuals and organizations in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, and Canada for romance, investment, cryptocurrency, and other online fraud.
“They disclosed that they were accommodated in a hostel with bunks and provided with all the necessary gadgets and are forced to go after their targets.
“They are monitored by fierce-looking mafia guys who also torture any of them who refuse to meet their daily targets,” she explained.
Bello disclosed that some victims who refused to cooperate faced gruesome consequences.
“The victims also explained that while a few of them who refused to do the bidding of the traffickers are tortured to death inside the horror chamber called ‘the dark room,’ others had their organs harvested, especially the young ones with non-smoking history,” she said.
The Director-General described the situation as troubling and promised to eradicate the trafficking syndicate.
“This is a new dimension in trafficking to destination countries in the Southeast Asian region, and it is disturbing.
“We have reactivated our various connections so that, with the support of partners, this deadly trafficking syndicate will be dislodged and the ringleaders arrested,” she stated.
Bello applauded the partners who facilitated the rescue operation.
“NAPTIP appreciates the support and collaboration of members of the Civil Society organization in the South Asia Region, Eden (Myanmar), the British Government, and also the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.
“The Embassy played a significant role in facilitating the repatriation process, including the issuance of Emergency Travel Certificates for some of the victims,” she said.
The news comes just weeks after Bello promised more coordination and a larger approach to detect, disrupt, and disorganize trafficking activities targeting Nigerians.
