NAPTIP Raises Alarm Over Online Sexual Exploitation, Recruitment Scams

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has issued a warning about the sexual exploitation of married women online and the rise of online recruitment scams. Vincent Adekoye, Head of Press and Public Relations at NAPTIP, disclosed this during a joint security press briefing. Traffickers often approach people in social settings, such as gyms and recreational centers, posing as service providers or offering assistance with everyday tasks.

Through these interactions, they gain the trust of their victims and obtain their phone numbers. Once they have this information, they become more familiar with the victims, sometimes calling at odd hours and pretending to help them when they face difficulties. NAPTIP has also expressed concern over the use of fake job advertisements to lure unsuspecting Nigerians into trafficking networks.

The agency has recorded disturbing cases of individuals falling into the hands of traffickers while searching for employment opportunities, with some victims experiencing devastating emotional and psychological consequences, including unwanted pregnancies. NAPTIP urges Nigerians to be cautious when forming online relationships or accepting unsolicited offers of assistance and employment, emphasizing the need to verify the identities and intentions of individuals they meet.

The agency reiterates its commitment to creating a trafficking- and violence-free Nigeria through warning campaigns and preventive measures.