Maha Christopher
Three Nigerian women trafficked to Mali under the pretense of securing legitimate employment have recounted their experiences of sexual exploitation, torture and abuse, warning other young women against falling for false promises of jobs abroad.
According to Vanguard, the victims, identified as Becky, 35, Blessing, 24, and Miracle Yakubu, 23, were rescued and returned to Nigeria through the intervention of the Global Anti Human Trafficking Organisation.
The survivors, who spoke in Lagos shortly after their rescue, said traffickers lured them with promises of decent jobs in Lagos before transporting them across borders to Mali, where they were forced into prostitution.
For Becky, a widowed mother of three from Plateau State, the journey began with what appeared to be an opportunity to provide a better life for her children.
“The journey was not sweet,” she said.
“They told us we were coming to Lagos to work. But when we reached Lagos, the driver suddenly said we were going to Cotonou. Before we knew it, we found ourselves there. If we refused to work, we faced serious attacks.”
She explained that a woman had promised her employment in a shop in Lagos.
“I believed her because I wanted a better life for my children,” Becky said.
“I didn’t know the job was prostitution disguised as legitimate work. I didn’t know it meant sleeping with different men. Anytime I refused, they beat me.”
Blessing, a 24 year old mother of two, said poverty influenced her decision to accept the offer.
“I travelled on April 26 from Jos because the woman who sponsored our trip told me she had jobs for me.
“I left my children and my aged father at home because I wanted to earn a living. My father approved the journey because he believed it was genuine employment. He never knew it was prostitution,” she said.
Miracle Yakubu, 23, said she became suspicious after the group arrived in Lagos and were informed that they would continue their journey to Cotonou before eventually ending up in Mali.
“When we arrived, my madam told us to start working. I asked her what kind of work because they told me I would work in a shop. She said it was prostitution,” she recalled.
Miracle revealed that she and Blessing attempted to escape but were captured and severely assaulted.
“We tried to flee, but I was caught. They stabbed me with a broken bottle and beat me mercilessly. They accused me of trying to run away with the money they spent bringing me to Mali,” she said.
She advised young women to be cautious of job offers from strangers.
“Prostitution is not a job.
“I want young girls to be careful about strangers promising jobs outside the country. Stay in your hometown and look for something genuine,” she said.
Reacting to the development, President of the Global Anti Human Trafficking Organisation, Prosper Nwankwo, expressed concern over rising cases of labour exploitation involving Nigerians trafficked to countries such as Egypt.
“We will forward the names of those involved to the appropriate security agencies, so they can be placed on watchlists and arrested,” he said.
He alleged that some traffickers confiscate victims’ passports upon arrival and subject them to exploitative labour and harsh conditions for extended periods without payment.
The organisation urged Nigerians, particularly young women seeking opportunities abroad, to verify job offers properly and avoid falling victim to human trafficking networks operating under the guise of employment opportunities.
