BRISBANE, Australia (BN24) — A Nigerian-Australian woman has been arrested in connection with the trafficking of 15 students from Papua New Guinea, who were lured to Australia with false promises of educational scholarships but were instead forced into grueling, unpaid labor on Queensland farms, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Binta Abubakar, 56, was taken into custody at Brisbane Airport on Wednesday upon arrival from Papua New Guinea, where she had primarily operated her business. The arrest follows a two-year investigation by the AFP’s Northern Command Human Trafficking Team, which began its probe in July 2022 after receiving intelligence from Queensland Police.
Abubakar is accused of orchestrating a complex trafficking scheme through her company, BIN Educational Services and Consulting, by offering fraudulent full scholarships to at least 15 Papua New Guinean nationals, aged between 19 and 35, between March 2021 and July 2023.
According to the AFP, once the students arrived in Australia, they were allegedly coerced into signing a series of legal agreements obligating them to repay substantial debts that included “tuition, airfare, visa application, insurance, and legal costs.” These debts, which were never clearly disclosed upfront, were used as a means of coercion, effectively trapping the victims in debt bondage.
Forced Labor in Queensland
Instead of receiving education or training, the victims were reportedly dispatched to work on fruit farms in Queensland, including in Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe, often in breach of their visa conditions. Police say the students worked 10-hour days, seven days a week, with wages allegedly collected and withheld by Abubakar as repayment for their so-called debts.
“The farmers did not know of Abubakar’s alleged scheme,” the AFP clarified in a statement, indicating that the exploitation was orchestrated solely by the accused.
Police also alleged that when students resisted or questioned their circumstances, Abubakar used threats and intimidation, including threats of deportation or harm to their families back in Papua New Guinea, to maintain control over them.
Criminal Charges and Court Proceedings
Abubakar now faces 31 criminal charges, including:
- Four counts of trafficking in persons
- 14 counts of deceptive recruiting for labor or services
- 13 counts of engaging in conduct that caused a person to enter into debt bondage
She was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear in court on September 19.
AFP Condemns Human Trafficking Exploitation
AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer condemned the exploitation, describing the case as a stark reminder of how traffickers prey on vulnerable people through false promises of opportunity.
“Victims of debt bondage and other human trafficking offences can be lured to Australia with promises of a dream career or free education—things they may not have access to in their country of origin,” Telfer said. “When those conditions change, the victims find themselves in extremely vulnerable positions, isolated in a foreign country, often with no financial or emotional support and struggling with language barriers.”
Telfer emphasized that the AFP remains committed to protecting foreign workers from exploitation and encouraged the public to report any suspicions. “The AFP can help people who are exploited. We are focused on ensuring the welfare of victims,” he said.
This arrest comes less than two months after German authorities arrested 13 suspected members of a Nigerian criminal syndicate accused of international trafficking and fraud, highlighting growing concerns over transnational human trafficking networks operating under the guise of education or employment.
The case also underscores the challenges facing international students and workers in Australia, particularly those from less-developed nations, who are often targeted by unscrupulous actors exploiting legal loopholes and administrative gray areas for profit.
