Online Sc@ms Are Now Luring Victims Into Human Tr@fficking — First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Warns

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has warned Nigerians to stay alert as online sc@ms are increasingly being used to lure victims into human tr@fficking.

In a message marking the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, she said trafficking has gone beyond its traditional forms and now includes online deception, forced criminal activities and organised cross-border crime.

Referring to this year’s theme, “Trapped Behind the Sc@m,” Tinubu explained that many young Nigerians, including graduates, are being deceived with fake job, investment and travel opportunities abroad. According to her, many victims end up trapped in exploitative conditions, with their passports seized and forced to engage in online fr@ud.

She urged Nigerians, communities and institutions to remain vigilant, protect vulnerable people and report suspicious activities, stressing that collective action is key to ending exploitation.

“Let us remain vigilant, protect the vulnerable, and ensure that no one falls victim to expl%itation,” she said, adding that everyone deserves to live with freedom, dignity and hope.

Nigeria remains a source, transit and destination country for human trafficking. According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, 156 victims have been rescued since January 2026, while over 300 Nigerians were repatriated from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire in 2025.

The agency also disclosed that tr@ffickers increasingly target victims with fake vacancies in IT, digital marketing and cryptocurrency, before forcing them into romance sc@ms and other online fr@ud schemes abroad.