The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the British High Commission Abuja, has rescued and repatriated 23 Nigerians trafficked to scam centres in Southeast Asia, as part of renewed efforts to combat cyber-enabled human trafficking and support survivor rehabilitation.
The agency made the disclosure at a survivor-focused event in Abuja themed “Confronting the Global Scam Centre Crisis: Perspectives of Nigerian Survivors.”
The programme convened victims who were recently returned to Nigeria after being trafficked to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand under the guise of legitimate employment opportunities.
The rescue operation followed coordinated interventions by NAPTIP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok and British non-governmental organisation EDEN. Field coordination at the Thai–Myanmar border, alongside welfare visits to detained Nigerians in Bangkok, aided their release and eventual safe return home.
According to a 2026 report by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights titled “A Wicked Problem,” no fewer than 120,000 individuals are believed to be held in forced scam operations in Myanmar, with more than 300,000 victims recorded across Southeast Asia. The report noted that between 2020 and 2025, approximately 74 per cent of identified global victims were trafficked into scam centres in the region after being lured by fraudulent job offers.
Addressing participants at the event, UK Deputy High Commissioner to Abuja, Gill Lever, said: “We are here today to listen to survivors who have shown remarkable bravery in sharing their experiences. The UK is working closely with NAPTIP, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EDEN and IOM to ensure survivors receive trauma-informed care and safe repatriation. Their courage will help prevent others from being harmed, and we stand firmly with Nigeria and all African Commonwealth partners in confronting this rapidly evolving threat.”
Representing NAPTIP’s Director-General, the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment remarked: “The courage these survivors have shown in sharing their stories is remarkable. Their experiences expose the brutal reality of trafficking into scam centres, a crime that strips people of their dignity and freedom.”
One of the survivors recounted: “I was promised opportunity, a good job and a chance for a better life. Instead, I was trapped and forced to do things that went against everything I believe in.”
NAPTIP explained that the event was organised to amplify survivors’ voices, raise public awareness, and reinforce coordinated efforts to prevent trafficking. It also seeks to strengthen victim support structures and ensure their safe reintegration into society.