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ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Asylum and Refugees Rights Advocacy Foundation (ARRA), also known as the Asylum and Refugees Rights Advocates, has commended the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) and other international and regional partners for their sustained efforts in combating human trafficking, while calling for stronger global collaboration to protect victims and dismantle transnational trafficking networks.
The commendation was contained in a statement issued by the Foundation to mark the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, during which it urged governments, international organisations, the private sector and civil society groups to intensify coordinated efforts to tackle the growing sophistication of human trafficking syndicates operating across borders.
This year’s global observance, themed “Trapped Behind the Scam,” highlights the increasing exploitation of trafficking victims in online scam centres, where they are coerced into cyber-enabled fraud and other criminal activities through deception, intimidation, violence and other forms of abuse.
Speaking on the occasion, ARRA’s Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Okey Ezugwu, said the rapid evolution of trafficking methods demands a more robust international response capable of addressing the intersection between human trafficking, cybercrime and organised transnational criminal networks.
According to him, traffickers are increasingly exploiting digital technology, fake recruitment agencies, fraudulent employment advertisements and social media platforms to lure unsuspecting job seekers and migrants with promises of lucrative employment abroad.
He explained that many victims, upon arrival in foreign countries, are held against their will in organised scam compounds where they are forced to participate in online fraud and other illicit activities under threats of violence, torture or death.
“Traffickers are increasingly adapting to technological advances by exploiting digital platforms and deceptive recruitment schemes to lure unsuspecting people into criminal enterprises. Behind many online scams are victims who have been deceived, trafficked across borders, stripped of their freedom, and forced to participate in illegal activities under threats of violence, torture, or death,” Ezugwu said.
The Foundation stressed that individuals rescued from such operations should be recognised primarily as victims of human trafficking rather than offenders, urging governments and criminal justice institutions to adopt survivor-centred approaches that prevent their wrongful arrest, detention or prosecution for crimes committed under coercion.
ARRA noted that while the efforts of international agencies and national institutions have led to significant progress in preventing trafficking, rescuing victims and disrupting criminal syndicates, considerable challenges remain in ensuring comprehensive rehabilitation and long-term reintegration for survivors.
The organisation specifically applauded the work of the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour, and other development partners for their continued commitment to combating human trafficking and supporting victims.
However, it observed that gaps still exist in areas such as safe repatriation, psychosocial care, legal assistance, economic reintegration and sustainable support for survivors after rescue.
To address these shortcomings, ARRA called for stronger international cooperation through enhanced intelligence sharing, improved cross-border law enforcement collaboration and stricter regulation of online recruitment platforms, digital employment agencies and social media channels frequently exploited by trafficking syndicates.
The Foundation also urged governments, donor agencies and philanthropic organisations to increase financial support for grassroots civil society organisations providing victim identification, emergency shelter, legal aid, counselling, rehabilitation and community reintegration services.
According to ARRA, community-based organisations remain indispensable frontline actors in preventing human trafficking and supporting survivors despite operating with inadequate funding and limited institutional resources.
The Foundation further appealed to technology companies, financial institutions, online platforms and recruitment agencies to strengthen due diligence mechanisms and implement safeguards capable of preventing traffickers from exploiting digital systems to recruit and exploit vulnerable people.
Reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights of asylum seekers, refugees, internally displaced persons, migrants and survivors of trafficking, ARRA said no country can effectively confront human trafficking in isolation because of its transnational nature.
The organisation therefore urged governments, international organisations, development partners, the private sector and local communities to translate global commitments into concrete action by strengthening prevention efforts, expanding survivor protection and rehabilitation programmes, prosecuting traffickers and ensuring accountability for those who profit from the exploitation of human lives.
Ezugwu concluded that every survivor deserves protection rather than prosecution, justice instead of exploitation and dignity instead of discrimination, stressing that the global community must act decisively to ensure that no victim remains trapped behind increasingly sophisticated trafficking networks.
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