Nigerian national Emmanuel Walter has alleged that workers trapped in exploitative conditions in Cambodia were deliberately cut off from the outside world after their phones were confiscated and their communication accounts disabled.
According to a report by Arise News from: 5:04, Walter is among a group of African nationals currently stranded in Cambodia after travelling to the country for employment opportunities that were advertised online.
Sharing details of his experience, Walter claimed that many workers who arrived in Cambodia expecting legitimate jobs found themselves under strict control and unable to communicate freely with family members or friends.
He said: “They took our phones and logged us out of WhatsApp so we can’t communicate with people outside.”
According to him, some workers were transferred from one company to another, a process he described as being “sold” between employers. He alleged that once this happened, their phones were confiscated by their supervisors.
He further claimed that company officials would log workers out of messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram, making it difficult for them to contact relatives, seek help, or reveal their whereabouts.
He explained that this isolation left many people feeling trapped and helpless, as they had no reliable means of communicating with the outside world.
Walter stated that the situation became even more distressing for those who had already gone months without receiving salaries and had no financial resources of their own.
As calls grow for assistance for stranded Nigerians abroad, Walter is appealing to the relevant authorities to intervene and help affected individuals return home safely.