A Nigerian returnee from Libya, Mercy Oluwagbenga, has urged young Nigerians to shun irregular migration, warned that embarking on dangerous routes in search of greener pastures amounts to “voluntary suicide.”
Mercy, who was recently rescued following a viral video appeal, was received in Abuja by the Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa. She narrated her harrowing experience of exploitation and abuse in Libya.
The 26-year-old indigene of Kabba, Kogi State, revealed that she dropped out of school at 300 level in 2018 to seek opportunities abroad after being lured with promises of wealth to care for her ailing mother. Instead, she found herself trapped in slavery.
“For one year and six months, I worked without receiving a kobo because I had to pay the agent who took me to Libya about ₦2.5 million. I was maltreated, changed jobs, and at one point locked up in a house where my blood was drawn without consent,” she recounted tearfully.
Mercy, who lost her mother during her ordeal, appealed for support to return to school, pledged to work with NIDCOM to raise awareness against irregular migration. “I don’t want any young girl or boy to go through what I went through. Please don’t follow this route,” she pleaded.
In her remarks, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa praised Mercy’s courage, described her as “one of the lucky ones,” noted that countless others had perished in the desert, drowned in the Mediterranean, or remained untraceable.
The NIDCOM boss reiterated that irregular migration is akin to “voluntary suicide” and advised Nigerian youths to explore legal and safe channels of travel. She commended Dr. Segun Abraham of Trinity Foundation, whose financial support made Mercy’s rescue possible.
Dabiri-Erewa assured that NIDCOM will support Mercy’s rehabilitation and continue working with partners to protect Nigerians, while intensifying advocacy against human trafficking and irregular migration.
She further lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for introducing the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying it will provide opportunities for young Nigerians like Mercy to complete their education rather than abandon their studies for financial reasons.
