NAPTIP and UK Collaborate to Combat Human Trafficking

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has partnered with the British High Commission in Abuja to address the issue of human trafficking, particularly focusing on Nigerian survivors. This collaboration was highlighted during a landmark event aimed at establishing a survivor center, which took place on a Monday.

The event underscored the emerging global crisis of human trafficking, especially cyber-enabled scams operating in South East Asia. Recent efforts led to the repatriation of Nigerian nationals who were deceived by fraudulent job offers and trafficked to countries like Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand.

These individuals were coerced into participating in sophisticated cyber fraud schemes. The program followed a successful joint effort involving NAPTIP, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Nigerian Embassy in Bangkok, along with the British NGO Eden, which coordinated welfare visits to affected Nigerians.

Earlier in the month, 23 Nigerian survivors were safely rescued and returned. A UN OHCHR report estimates that at least 120,000 people are currently held by forced scam operations in Myanmar, with the total rising to 300,000 across South East Asia.