FG raises alarm over cyber slavery rings exploiting Nigerian youths through crypto scams
BY MOTOLANI OSENI
The Federal Government has raised a red flag over the rising wave of cyber slavery targeting Nigerian youths across West Africa, warning that many are being trafficked under the guise of lucrative crypto-related job offers.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government said vulnerable young Nigerians, including minors, are increasingly lured out of the country with promises of high-paying opportunities in cryptocurrency operations, only to be enslaved in cyber scam syndicates.
The Ministry described the trend as a major concern, stressing the urgent need for coordinated efforts to dismantle the multibillion-dollar networks fuelling this digital exploitation.
According to the statement, victims are trafficked into high-tech scam centres, often dubbed “419 cyber-scam factories,” where they are forced under harsh and coercive conditions to send out thousands of fraudulent emails, text messages, and calls aimed at defrauding global victims.
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The alarm follows a recent rescue operation by Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), which freed several Nigerian nationals who were subjected to inhumane working conditions in cybercrime hubs.
The Ministry urged Nigerian youths and their families to exercise extreme caution when considering job offers, particularly those involving overseas travel or remote work linked to cryptocurrencies. It advised citizens to verify employment opportunities through official channels and report suspicious cases promptly.
To curb the surge in digital slavery, the Federal Government is collaborating with regional partners, law enforcement agencies, and international bodies to rescue victims and prosecute the criminal syndicates behind these operations.
The warning comes as the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently revealed that nearly $65 million had been lost to sextortion scams over the past two years, with some of the crimes linked to Nigerian perpetrators demanding cryptocurrency and other untraceable payments from their victims.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Nigerian citizens at home and abroad and vowed to continue raising public awareness of evolving cyber threats.
