FG, UK Warn Nigerians: Beware of Fake Overseas Job Offers Amid Rising Trafficking Cases

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the British High Commission have issued a joint warning to Nigerians about deceptive overseas job offers used to traffic unsuspecting victims into forced cyber-fraud operations.

At a survivor-centred event in Abuja themed “Confronting the Global Scam Centre Crisis: Perspectives of Nigerian Survivors,” authorities revealed that traffickers lure victims abroad with promises of lucrative employment, only to force them into sophisticated online scams in countries like Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.

“Nigerians should be wary of such offers,” officials advised, noting that legitimate employers do not recruit via social media, demand upfront payments, or require tourist visas for work. The warning follows a recent trafficking incident in Thailand, where a coordinated rescue operation led to the safe return of 23 Nigerian victims.

British Deputy High Commissioner Gill Lever said the UK is collaborating with Nigerian authorities to ensure survivors receive trauma-informed care and safe repatriation. “We stand firmly with Nigeria and our African Commonwealth partners in confronting this rapidly evolving threat,” she stated.

NAPTIP’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Kehinde Akomolafe, emphasized that survivors are victims, not criminals, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to protection. Survivors recounted harrowing experiences of being held in guarded compounds, forced to work up to 18 hours daily on scams, and subjected to physical abuse and psychological trauma.

A United Nations report indicates at least 120,000 people are currently trapped in forced scam operations in Myanmar, with over 300,000 affected across Southeast Asia. Participants called for stronger international cooperation, increased awareness, and a shift in narratives to protect survivors and hold traffickers accountable.