Nigerian man recounts harrowing job scam and threats in Burkina Faso

DDM News

(DDM) — A Nigerian man, Yakubu, has revealed a chilling experience he endured in Burkina Faso after falling into the trap of an alleged job scam.

Yakubu shared his ordeal during an interview on The Lucky Udu Experience Podcast, where he described his aborted attempt to relocate abroad, commonly referred to as “japa”.

DDM reports that Yakubu’s story highlights the dangers faced by many desperate Nigerians seeking better opportunities outside the country.

According to him, the trouble began almost immediately after his arrival in Burkina Faso.

He said he was approached by individuals claiming to be job agents, who demanded a payment of ₦1.8 million to process employment documents.

Yakubu explained that he quickly became suspicious of the demand and decided to pull out of the arrangement and return home.

“I began to open up to them that I’m going back to Nigeria,” he recalled during the podcast.

However, his decision to back out was met with hostility from someone he considered a close friend.

He revealed that this companion issued disturbing threats, implying that if they had been in a different country like South Africa, the consequences would have been violent.

“That my guy began to threaten me that if it’s South Africa now, this thing that I just said, they will begin to cut me with cutlass,” Yakubu recounted.

DDM gathered that the threats left him shaken, and it became clear that the people he trusted were potentially complicit in a larger exploitative scheme.

Yakubu said the incident made him realise that not all who pose as helpers abroad have genuine intentions.

His experience serves as a stark warning to young Nigerians who are eager to flee the country due to economic hardships.

He urged intending migrants to exercise extreme caution, verify all travel offers, and avoid rushing into overseas opportunities that appear too good to be true.

DDM notes that job scams targeting West Africans are on the rise, particularly in countries where informal networks and fake agents prey on the hopes of vulnerable youths.

Yakubu’s case is one among many cautionary tales that expose the risks of irregular migration and misplaced trust in friends or agents.

His story also draws attention to the emotional toll and trauma victims of such scams often endure, including betrayal and threats to personal safety.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with youth unemployment and harsh economic realities, migration remains a tempting escape for many.

But as Yakubu’s experience shows, the journey abroad can sometimes be far more dangerous than imagined.

Authorities are urged to intensify public awareness campaigns and crack down on trafficking rings and fraudulent employment networks operating across West Africa.

For now, Yakubu’s voice joins a growing chorus of returnees warningothers: not all that glitters abroad is gold.

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