By Sabiu Abdullahi
A Nigerian-born Australian woman, Binta Abubakar, has been arrested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for allegedly trafficking 15 students from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and forcing them into unpaid labour on farms in Queensland.
Abubakar, 56, was taken into custody on Wednesday at Brisbane Airport shortly after returning from PNG, where she had reportedly been operating from.
Her arrest marks the culmination of a two-year investigation launched in July 2022 by the AFP’s Northern Command Human Trafficking Team, following a report received from Queensland Police.
The AFP stated, “A group of PNG nationals who had moved to Australia to study were instead allegedly forced to work against their will on farms.”
According to investigators, Abubakar used her company, BIN Educational Services and Consulting, to lure young people aged between 19 and 35 into Australia under the false promise of full educational scholarships.
The company had advertised itself as offering a “holistic and modern approach to education, training, and employment.”
However, after their arrival in Australia between March 2021 and July 2023, the students were allegedly compelled to sign legal agreements binding them to repay various undisclosed expenses, including tuition, flights, visa fees, insurance, and legal services.
Authorities alleged that, to repay these supposed debts, the students were forced to work long hours on fruit farms in areas such as Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe.
Police say the work arrangements often breached their visa terms.According to the AFP, “The students were made to work 10 hours a day, seven days a week,” and their earnings were allegedly collected by Abubakar.
“The farmers did not know of Abubakar’s alleged scheme,” the police added.
The situation reportedly worsened when some of the students resisted.
Police claimed Abubakar intimidated them with threats of deportation or warned their families back in PNG.
“She would allegedly receive the wages on the workers’ behalf and withhold them. If they refused to comply, Abubakar allegedly threatened to have the students deported or intimidated their family in PNG,” authorities said.
Abubakar is facing 31 criminal charges.
These include four counts of trafficking in persons, 14 counts of deceptive recruiting for labour or services, and 13 counts related to debt bondage.
Although she has been granted conditional bail, Abubakar is due to appear in court again on September 19.
Reacting to the arrest, AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said, “The AFP is committed to protecting vulnerable foreign workers who are targeted by those driven by greed and profits.”
He further noted, “Victims of debt bondage and other human trafficking offences can be lured to Australia with a promise of a dream career or free education—things they may not have access to in their country of origin. If the conditions of that promise change, it can leave victims in an extremely vulnerable situation in a foreign country, where they are likely to have little financial or emotional support and face issues with language barriers.”
Telfer urged the public to report suspected cases of exploitation and reassured them of the AFP’s continued focus on safeguarding victims. “The AFP can help people who are exploited. We are focused on ensuring the welfare of victims,” he said.
This case comes shortly after German authorities arrested 13 suspected members of a Nigerian criminal syndicate in a separate crackdown on transnational crime.