NAPTIP Warns Ogun Students of Rising Social Media Trafficking Risks

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has intensified its campaign to protect secondary school students in Ogun State, warning that traffickers are increasingly utilizing social media to recruit young people for forced labor, sexual exploitation, and organ harvesting.

During a sensitization event at Adeola Odutola College in Ijebu-Ode, agency officials highlighted the shift toward more sophisticated digital recruitment tactics. Traffickers are reportedly posing as friends or offering false opportunities ranging from employment and sports scholarships to romantic relationships to build trust before exploiting their victims.

A growing concern noted by the agency is the rise of “sextortion,” where criminals coerce victims into sharing intimate images only to use those materials for blackmail and financial gain.

The initiative, conducted in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aims to establish Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Persons Vanguards in 50 secondary schools across the state. To date, 36 schools have participated in the program, with 30 students inaugurated as ambassadors in each institution to help educate their peers and communities on the dangers of trafficking.

Agency officials stressed that human trafficking involves the recruitment and exploitation of individuals through coercion, fraud, or deception. They encouraged students to remain vigilant, particularly when interacting with strangers online, and warned against the life-threatening risks associated with illegal migration attempts, which often involve hazardous travel across the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea.

Project organizers reported that the campaign has reached over 51,000 students across Ogun State, providing them with critical information to identify and avoid predatory behaviors. Stakeholders, including school administrators and state officials, continue to emphasize that a collaborative approach between government agencies, educators, and parents is essential to safeguarding children from criminal exploitation.