The Federal Government has raised urgent concerns over the growing exploitation of Nigerian youths in an emerging form of human trafficking known as cyber-slavery.
In a statement released on Sunday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, through ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, warned that criminal networks are increasingly targeting young Nigerians, luring them abroad with promises of lucrative opportunities, particularly in the cryptocurrency sector, only to force them into cybercrime under brutal conditions.
Many of the victims, some reportedly underage, are coerced into operating in high-tech scam centres, dubbed “419 cyber-scam factories,” where they are held against their will and subjected to harsh treatment.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs however reiterated its commitment to working with international partners to dismantle these criminal syndicates and repatriate affected citizens.
