By Precious Owolabi

Victims sold, starved, forced into slavery

Pregnant victims forced to give birth

No fewer than 200 desperate young Nigerians have fallen prey to human traffickers who lured them with fake promises of a better life abroad, only to subject them to untold suffering, according to Weekend Hope investigations.

For many, the dream of greener pastures turned to a nightmare of enslavement, abuse, and near-death experiences in foreign lands.

Speaking with Weekend Hope, some survivors of the horror shared chilling accounts of how they were trafficked, imprisoned, and forced into degrading labour before eventually being deported.

One of such victims, Miss Magdaline (not her real name), had believed she was on the path to a better life in Libya. Instead, she found herself trapped in a web of deception, brutality, and survival against all odds.

In an exclusive interview with Weekend Hope, Magdaline narrated how she was deceived by a man from Benin, who convinced her that Libya offered higher wages and better job opportunities than Nigeria.

Encouraged by her sister, she embarked on the journey, under the impression that she would travel legally with a visa and passport.

 “Upon reaching Kano, where I was promised official travel documents, my nightmare began. Instead of flying as assured, others and I, were smuggled across the desert.

Magdaline revealed that 25 individuals were transported from Kano to Niger Republic, while several Hilux vehicles, each carrying about 45 persons, conveyed them from Niger Republic to the desert.

She further disclosed that the migrants, mostly young ladies, were crammed into the vehicles under harsh conditions, with little food or water for the perilous journey.

Hidden during the day and transported only at night, Magdaline and her fellow travellers had no idea where they were being taken.

She narrated,”We were rushed out in the morning, and the car kept going without us knowing our destination.”

She said they were forced to wear hijabs and survived on biscuits and water, while they soon realised they had been trafficked.

According to her, “The harsh reality of the desert was beyond imagination. We spent a month in the desert, with no proper food, no water to bathe, and barely anything to drink. Some migrants resorted to drinking their own urine to survive while others perished.

“Drivers would transport us from one point to another, exchanging us like goods. Along the way, we saw skeletons of those who didn’t make it.

“Upon arriving in Libya, things went from bad to worse. Migrants were hidden indoors, unable to move freely. Their only options for survival were working as domestic servants, hospital cleaners, or, for many, being forced into prostitution.”

Magdaline managed to secure a job in a pharmacy, handling medications under strict supervision, while her sister worked as a house cleaner.

“For nine months, we had no contact with our families and were completely under the control of our traffickers, who demanded we work for up to two years to repay the cost of our journey.

“Then came the police raid. The Libyan authorities stormed our quarters, arresting everyone, including pregnant women and children. The police stormed in and arrested everyone. We were taken to a detention centre, where we were crammed into a room like prisoners,”she added.

Inside the overcrowded prison, the horror continued., “People died in there. There was no good food, no clean water, and we were given drugged meals that made us weak and sleepy.

“Some detainees reportedly spent years in prison, with no way to contact their families

After enduring three months in detention, Magdaline registered with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), for deportation.

However, even that process was filled with obstacles, as officials allegedly removed names from deportation lists and forced pregnant women to give birth before allowing them to leave.

On June 20, she was finally deported to Nigeria. “I thank God for my life. It wasn’t easy suffering in the desert, in prison, and being forced into work I never agreed to,” she said, heaving a sigh of relief.

Miss Aduke (not her real name), also fell victim to traffickers who promised her a better life in Europe, only to end up in Libya, where she was sold multiple times and subjected to forced labour.

She said a recruiter in Nigeria assured her of a job in Europe and introduced her to a contact who was supposed to facilitate the journey. But upon reaching Libya, she realised she had been deceived.

“I was told I was going to Europe, but they dropped me in Libya. From 2021, I was forced to work while they took my earnings,”she recalled.

She was initially placed in an Arab woman’s home as a domestic worker for four months. But when her traffickers were unsatisfied with the money she was making, they moved her elsewhere.

“I refused to engage in prostitution, but they forced me into it. If you don’t comply, they beat you and starve you,” she said.

Over time, she was sold to three different individuals, each demanding payment for her supposed freedom. The abuse continued, with periods of confinement and starvation.

Her ordeal ended when Libyan authorities raided a known trafficking hub and arrested everyone inside. She was detained in a prison in Tripoli before being deported back to Nigeria.

She lamented, “I spent days in prison before they finally sent me back. I came back with nothing.”

Back in Nigeria, Aduke is now struggling to survive. Without a stable job, she does farm work and small chores just to earn a living.

Despite the hardship, she remains thankful. “Things are very hard, but I thank God I made it back,” she said.

She eventually connected with the IOM, which provides assistance to trafficking survivors to help them reintegrate into society.

Her story, like Magdaline’s, is a painful reminder of the dangers of human trafficking and the need for stronger measures to protect vulnerable Nigerians from falling into the hands of traffickers.

For many young people, the dream of a better life abroad has turned into a nightmare, leaving them with physical and emotional scars that may never heal.