Mercy Oluwagbenga, a young Nigerian recently rescued from Libya, has issued a stern warning to citizens against embarking on dangerous migration routes.
Oluwagbenga went viral after a video surfaced showing her crying out for help before her rescue.
“Whatever your situation, do not travel through dangerous routes,” she told the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) as she narrated her ordeal.
She revealed to NIDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa that she dropped out of school at 20 and was deceived into traveling to Libya with promises of greener pastures to support her sick mother.
Instead, she found herself trapped in modern slavery.
“For one year and six months, I worked without pay because I had to settle the agent with ₦2.5 million. I was maltreated, forced to change jobs, and at one point, locked in a house where my blood was drawn without my consent,” she recounted tearfully.
An indigene of Kabba, Kogi State, she lamented that Nigerians in her condition were treated “like animals,” adding that she was lucky to escape into a camp.
She thanked Dabiri-Erewa, NIDCOM, and Dr. Segun Abraham of Trinity Foundation for ensuring her safe return.
“I don’t want any young boy or girl to experience what I went through. Please, don’t follow this route,” she pleaded, vowing to work with NIDCOM to raise awareness against irregular migration.
Mourning the death of her sick mother while she was in Libya, she begged for assistance to return to school, which she abandoned in 2018 as a 300-level student.
In her remarks, Dabiri-Erewa praised her courage, describing her as “one of the lucky ones,” stressing that many others died in the desert or Mediterranean Sea while some remain missing.
The NIDCOM boss warned that irregular migration is “voluntary suicide,” urging Nigerian youths to always use safe, legal travel channels.
She expressed gratitude to Dr. Abraham for sponsoring Mercy’s repatriation and assured that NIDCOM will facilitate her rehabilitation while working with partners to curb human trafficking.
Dabiri-Erewa also commended President Bola Tinubu for introducing NELFUND, which will help Nigerians like Mercy complete their education rather than dropping out due to lack of funds.
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