Nigerian-Australian Woman Arrested in Australia for Trafficking Students from Papua New Guinea

A 56-year-old Nigerian-Australian woman, Binta Abubakar, has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for allegedly trafficking at least 15 students from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and forcing them into unpaid labour under the pretext of offering educational scholarships.

Abubakar, who was primarily based in PNG, was taken into custody on Wednesday at Brisbane Airport upon arrival from Port Moresby. Her arrest follows a two-year investigation launched by the AFP’s Northern Command Human Trafficking Team in July 2022, following a tip-off from Queensland Police.

According to the AFP, the victims — all PNG nationals aged between 19 and 35 — were promised fully-funded educational opportunities in Australia through Abubakar’s company, BIN Educational Services and Consulting. The company’s website described it as offering “a holistic and modern approach to education, training, and employment.”

However, the reality was starkly different. Once in Australia, the students were allegedly coerced into signing contracts obligating them to repay various costs — including tuition, flights, visas, insurance, and legal fees. They were then forced to work on fruit farms in regions such as Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe, often in breach of their visa conditions.

Police allege that Abubakar confiscated the students’ wages to offset these so-called debts, making them work 10 hours daily, seven days a week. The farmers involved were reportedly unaware of the trafficking scheme.

Further allegations include that Abubakar threatened to report non-compliant students to immigration authorities or intimidated their families back in PNG. She has been charged with 31 offences, including:

• 4 counts of trafficking in persons
• 14 counts of deceptive recruiting for labour or services
• 13 counts of conduct causing a person to enter into debt bondage

She was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear in court again on September 19.

AFP Condemns the Alleged Exploitation

AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer strongly condemned the alleged exploitation, describing it as a case of “greed over human dignity.”

“Victims of trafficking are often lured by the promise of a better future — education, jobs — only to find themselves trapped, isolated, and exploited,” Telfer said.

He emphasized the AFP’s ongoing commitment to victim welfare and encouraged the public to report any suspected cases of worker exploitation.

“The AFP can help people who are being exploited. We are focused on ensuring the welfare and recovery of victims,” he added.

Wider Context

This incident comes less than two months after authorities in Germany arrested 13 suspected members of a Nigerian mafia group, highlighting growing concerns over transnational human trafficking networks linked to West Africa.