The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has issued a warning to Nigerians regarding fraudulent job offers from suspected human traffickers. These individuals are impersonating well-known global brands and offering fake oil and gas employment opportunities to lure unsuspecting victims into neighboring West African countries for exploitation.
According to a press statement by Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, Director-General of NAPTIP, traffickers are employing new tactics to deceive potential victims, primarily targeting Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, and other West African nations. The statement emphasizes that these job offers, promising high monthly incomes of up to $900, are false.
Victims are instructed to provide up to N850,000 for documentation and other expenses. However, upon arrival at their destination, traffickers confiscate the money, along with victims’ phones and personal belongings. The affected demographic includes males and females aged 15 to 35 years old, often trafficked through the waterways of Ode Jetty in Lagos en-route to Benin Republic and other West African regions. Some victims are also trafficked via land routes.
Waziri-Azi urges Nigerians to exercise caution, ask questions, and seek a second opinion before accepting any enticing offers. This warning aims to equip individuals with timely and accurate information to reduce their vulnerability to human trafficking schemes.
