The Street Child Care and Welfare Initiative (SCCWI) has urged young Nigerians to verify online job offers and overseas employment opportunities before accepting them. 

The project director of the SCCWI, Comfort Onyanta-Alli, gave the advice in an interview in Lagos on Friday to commemorate the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. 

The theme of the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is “Trapped Behind the Scam”.

Ms Onyanta-Alli said traffickers were increasingly using fake jobs to lure victims into cyber-scam operations. 

She said the theme for the 2026 commemoration highlighted a growing form of human trafficking where victims were deceived with fake job advertisements and false promises. 

“The victims only end up being trapped in cyber-enabled scam centres and forced into criminality. 

“Every opportunity should be verified through legitimate channels before any commitment is made. 

“Many victims are coerced into participating in online fraud, often under threats, violence, and inhumane conditions,” she said. 

She said poverty, unemployment, limited awareness and the growing use of digital platforms were creating new avenues for traffickers to exploit children and young people. 

“Street-connected children, migrants, unemployed youth and other vulnerable groups remain particularly at risk,” Ms Onyanta-Alli said. 

She, therefore, called for stronger collaboration among governments, law enforcement agencies, tech companies, civil society organisations, the media and other relevant stakeholders to prevent trafficking and protect survivors. 

“As we mark the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we reaffirm our commitment to raising awareness, protecting vulnerable children, supporting survivors and working with partners to eliminate all forms of human trafficking,” Ms Onyanta-Alli said. 

She urged the public to expose the scams, protect the vulnerable, and end human trafficking.

 (NAN)