The Joint Kaduna State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking has warned residents to be wary of fake online job offers, social media scams and other digital recruitment schemes increasingly being used by traffickers to lure victims into exploitation.
The warning was issued on Friday during a public awareness walk in Kaduna to mark the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, themed “Trapped Behind the Scam.”
Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Labaran Ado, said traffickers were increasingly exploiting technology to deceive vulnerable people with promises of lucrative jobs, scholarships and overseas opportunities.
Ado disclosed that NAPTIP has secured more than 850 convictions nationwide since its establishment, while the Kaduna Command has recorded four convictions since 2021, with 12 cases currently before the courts and several others under investigation.
He described Kaduna as a source, transit and destination point for human trafficking, noting that victims are trafficked from, through and into the state.
“Kaduna serves as a source, transit and destination state for human trafficking. On a daily basis, victims are trafficked or passed through the state,” he said.
The commander added that the agency recently rescued and repatriated two trafficking survivors from Côte d’Ivoire through collaboration with other security agencies.
According to him, cyber-enabled exploitation, deceptive recruitment and organ trafficking schemes have emerged as some of the fastest-growing forms of human trafficking in the region.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Justice, James Kanyip, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prosecuting traffickers and protecting victims.
Represented by the Solicitor-General of the Ministry of Justice, Jummai Danazumi, the commissioner said traffickers now rely heavily on fake online job offers and false promises to target children and young people.
“We are fully committed to prevention, prosecution and victim protection. Trafficking thrives in silence, but in Kaduna, we choose to speak out,” he said.
Also speaking, Chairperson of the Civil Society Coalition Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Kaduna State, Bukola Ajao, warned that traffickers now make direct contact with victims through social media platforms.
She said many victims are lured with promises of monthly salaries of up to ₦300,000, fake training programmes, overseas contracts and even free flight tickets.
“Once the victim travels, their phones are seized, leaving them isolated and trapped,” she said.
Ajao urged parents to closely monitor their children’s online activities during the long school holiday and discourage them from accepting invitations or job offers from strangers they meet on the internet.
She also advised young people to verify employment opportunities before sharing personal information or travelling for interviews.
The taskforce called on residents, parents, community leaders and religious organisations to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious online recruitment schemes or trafficking activities to NAPTIP and other law enforcement agencies.
The awareness walk featured personnel from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as civil society organisations and community groups, all advocating stronger action against human trafficking and cyber-enabled exploitation.
(The Whistler)
