An Australia-based Nigerian woman, Binta Abubakar, has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for allegedly trafficking 15 students from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and subjecting them to forced labour on Queensland farms under false pretences of educational scholarships.
Abubakar, 56, was apprehended on Wednesday at Brisbane International Airport following her arrival from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Her arrest culminates a two-year investigation by the AFP’s Northern Command Human Trafficking Team, which began probing her activities in July 2022 after receiving intelligence from Queensland Police.
According to the AFP, Abubakar used her company, BIN Educational Services and Consulting, to lure vulnerable PNG youths into Australia between March 2021 and July 2023 with promises of fully funded education opportunities.
However, upon arrival, the students — aged between 19 and 35 — were allegedly coerced into signing binding legal documents that committed them to repay dubious expenses covering tuition, flights, visas, legal fees, and insurance.
The AFP said these debts were used as leverage to force the students into intensive labour on fruit farms in Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe — often in breach of their visa conditions.
“The students worked up to 10 hours daily, seven days a week. Their wages were collected and withheld by the suspect to offset these so-called debts,” the AFP stated.
It added that the farmers who employed the students were unaware of the trafficking scheme.
Abubakar, a dual Nigerian-Australian citizen, is facing 31 charges, including four counts of human trafficking, 14 counts of deceptive recruitment, and 13 counts of causing a person to enter into debt bondage.
Authorities further revealed that Abubakar allegedly threatened to report the students to immigration authorities or intimidate their families back in PNG if they resisted or attempted to escape the exploitative arrangement.
“If they refused to comply, she allegedly threatened deportation or retaliation against their families in Papua New Guinea,” police added.
Abubakar has been granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear in court on September 19.
Commenting on the case, AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer condemned the exploitation, emphasizing the vulnerability of foreign workers who are lured with false promises of better opportunities.
“Victims of debt bondage and human trafficking often arrive in Australia chasing dreams of education or employment, only to find themselves trapped with little support, resources, or understanding of their rights,” Telfer said.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected abuse of migrant workers, assuring that authorities are prioritizing victim welfare.
This case marks one of the most significant human trafficking cases involving Pacific Islanders in recent times and underscores ongoing concerns over exploitation under the guise of international education and labour mobility schemes.
The arrest also comes weeks after authorities in Germany detained 13 suspected members of a Nigerian crime syndicate over related offences.
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