The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, in partnership with the British High Commission, has warned Nigerians against deceptive overseas job offers used to traffic unsuspecting victims.

The warning was issued in Abuja at a survivor-centred event.

According to NAPTIP and its partners, traffickers lure victims abroad with promises of lucrative employment but then transport them to countries such as Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand to carry out sophisticated cyber-fraud operations.

They therefore advised the public to be wary of such offers, noting that legitimate employers neither recruit through social media, demand upfront payments, nor require travel on tourist visas for employment.

Recall that the event follows a recent trafficking incident involving Nigerian victims in Thailand.

A coordinated rescue operation by NAPTIP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, and the British NGO EDEN led to the safe return of 23 victims.

The operation included on-the-ground coordination at the Thai–Myanmar border and welfare visits at Bangkok’s Immigration Detention Centre.

Speaking at the event, British Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja, Gill Lever, said the UK is working closely with Nigerian authorities to ensure survivors receive trauma-informed care and safe repatriation.

“We are here to listen to survivors, who have shown remarkable bravery in sharing their experiences. Their courage will help prevent others from being harmed, and we stand firmly with Nigeria and our African Commonwealth partners in confronting this rapidly evolving threat,” she said.

Lever described the scam-centre phenomenon as a global security challenge, noting that criminal networks defraud victims of more than 64 billion U.S. dollars annually, with British citizens losing an estimated 11.4 billion euros to scams in 2024.