Lured online, sold for $5,000: How Nigerian youths are trapped in Asia’s cyber-slave camps (1)

Sabiu, a 26-year-old Nigerian from Borno State, found himself trapped in Southeast Asia's cybercrime camps after being lured online with the promise of a job. His passport was taken, his savings stolen, and armed guards kept him in captivity. For months, he worked as a marijuana seller to make just enough to survive. The journey to his current state started when he secured a scholarship to study engineering in China but upon arrival, discovered it only covered the first year.

Unable to find work due to his student visa restrictions, he was forced to resort to illegal activities. In Guangzhou, he met a Chinese businessman who offered him a job in Laos as a telecom representative. Despite his initial hesitations, Sabiu accepted the offer due to his desperation. Once in Laos, he was taken to Bokeo Province and forced into cybercrime work, where he was sold for $5,000.