The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned Nigerians about increasingly deceptive human trafficking recruitment methods, including approaches at gyms, recreational centres and through fraudulent job advertisements, following a briefing by agency spokesman Adekoye Vincent in Abuja on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

The warning highlights how traffickers are exploiting everyday social interactions and the search for employment to gain access to unsuspecting victims, particularly women and vulnerable job seekers.

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Vincent said some traffickers deliberately present themselves as helpful acquaintances, offering assistance with shopping, domestic needs and other routine activities before gradually establishing relationships with their targets.

“Traffickers are increasingly exploiting social relationships and the vulnerabilities of unsuspecting individuals, particularly women, to lure victims into their traps,” he said.

According to Vincent, gyms and recreational centres have become among the environments where potential victims may be approached.

The individuals initially appear friendly and dependable, offering practical assistance that seems harmless. Over time, they obtain telephone numbers and maintain contact, creating opportunities to deepen the relationship and establish trust.

Some reportedly go further by appearing whenever their targets experience difficulties, including vehicle breakdowns, in an effort to present themselves as reliable people who can be counted on.

“These seemingly harmless gestures are often part of a deliberate strategy to gain the victim’s trust,” Vincent said.

The agency warned that the danger lies in the gradual nature of the approach, which may make it difficult for victims to recognise the intentions behind apparently genuine acts of kindness.

NAPTIP also raised concerns about fraudulent employment advertisements, particularly those circulated online and designed to attract people seeking better economic opportunities.

Vincent said the agency had recorded cases of Nigerians travelling considerable distances in pursuit of jobs, only to find themselves in the hands of traffickers.

One particularly disturbing case involved a lawyer who travelled from Benue State to a law chamber in Abuja after being offered an employment opportunity.

The lawyer reportedly fell into the wrong hands, although Vincent did not disclose further details about the circumstances of the case.

The spokesman said he had personally interacted with the victim and described the experience as deeply disturbing.

The warning comes amid wider concerns about the use of fraudulent recruitment schemes to traffic Nigerians for exploitation within the country and abroad.

In February 2026, NAPTIP Director-General Binta Adamu Bello warned that deceptive overseas employment offers could expose unsuspecting Nigerians to forced labour, sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse.

The agency has also reported cases involving young Nigerians recruited through attractive employment promises and subsequently trafficked to Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, where some victims were forced into cyber-enabled criminal activities.

Human trafficking in Nigeria has continued to evolve, with criminal networks exploiting personal relationships, economic hardship, digital platforms and the desire for better opportunities.

A January 2026 report by Voice of Nigeria, citing NAPTIP, said the agency secured 93 convictions against human traffickers in 2025 and intercepted more than 2,500 potential victims who had been deceived, recruited or trafficked for various forms of exploitation.

Research by the European Union Agency for Asylum has also identified deceptive job and education offers as common recruitment methods, noting that traffickers may use friends, acquaintances, intermediaries and online agents to gain victims’ confidence.

The agency’s latest warning suggests that recruitment is not always carried out through strangers or obviously suspicious offers. In some cases, traffickers may deliberately build familiarity and make their approaches appear ordinary before introducing opportunities that place victims at risk.

Vincent urged Nigerians to exercise caution when forming relationships online, accepting unsolicited assistance or responding to attractive employment opportunities.

He advised people to verify the identities and intentions of individuals making offers of jobs, financial assistance or other benefits, particularly when the opportunities appear unusually generous.

“People should avoid rushing into online friendships and should always verify the identities and intentions of individuals they meet, particularly those making attractive offers of jobs, financial assistance or other opportunities,” he said.

The agency’s warning serves as a reminder that trafficking can begin through seemingly ordinary encounters, whether in social spaces, online conversations or employment searches.

For job seekers, the message is particularly important: an opportunity should be independently verified before personal information, travel arrangements or major decisions are entrusted to an unfamiliar recruiter.

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NAPTIP urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious recruitment activities, stressing the importance of awareness and timely intervention in preventing exploitation.