Olaonipekun Adenike, a 30-year-old single mother of two from Ogun State, has talked about her horrifying experience of driving to Libya in search of a better life, a voyage that ended in rape, exploitation, and near death.
Adenike, who was raised in Sagamu, Ogun State, claimed that her family never valued girls' education. In an interview with Punch, she said, "I come from a family that doesn't think girls should have access to education, and from a community where they consider going overseas to be the greatest accomplishment."
Adenike, who was raised in Sagamu, Ogun State, claimed that her family never valued girls' education. In an interview with Punch, she said, "I come from a family that doesn't think girls should have access to education, and from a community where they consider going overseas to be the greatest accomplishment."
Her mother's close friend, whom she had known since childhood, reached out to her on Facebook once more and offered to help, which was the beginning of her ordeal. She claimed that taking me to Libya was my mother's way of saying "thank you" for all that she had done for her. She assured me that I would only be employed for three months before being released," Adenike remarked.
As she frantically tried to finish her education at the National Open University in Abeokuta, Adenike saw this as a lifeline. But the promise was soon broken.
As she frantically tried to finish her education at the National Open University in Abeokuta, Adenike saw this as a lifeline. But the promise was soon broken.
The real terror began when she traveled from Sagamu to Lagos, then to Kano, and finally to the Niger Republic. We traveled through numerous nations and lived in the desert for three months without much food or water. A few people lost their lives. To stay alive, we even drank urine," she remembered.
However, the most distressing incident occurred at an unidentified border crossing. The police officers at the border were the ones who sexually assaulted us, not our fellow travelers. They raped us after picking women at random and then let us go," Adenike stated in a harsh voice.
However, the most distressing incident occurred at an unidentified border crossing. The police officers at the border were the ones who sexually assaulted us, not our fellow travelers. They raped us after picking women at random and then let us go," Adenike stated in a harsh voice.
She realized then that all of the promises she had been given were false. "I never thought that in my quest for a better life, I would be raped."
Adenike found out she had been sold when she eventually arrived in Libya. My mother sold me to a Ghanaian man after her friend claimed that I had been on the road for too long. I was given a Ghanaian passport, my name was changed to Ibrahim Aishat, and I was informed that I would be employed for a year and a half rather than three months as they had promised me in Nigeria, she added.
Adenike found out she had been sold when she eventually arrived in Libya. My mother sold me to a Ghanaian man after her friend claimed that I had been on the road for too long. I was given a Ghanaian passport, my name was changed to Ibrahim Aishat, and I was informed that I would be employed for a year and a half rather than three months as they had promised me in Nigeria, she added.
She was given to an Arab by the Ghanaian man, who employed her as a maid for eighteen months. "I was unable to purchase clothing at all. I was fed and dressed by my Arab boss. The Ghanaians, meantime, arrived each month to collect the money I owed.
Adenike's horror worsened when she was arrested on her way to pick up her travel documents, which she had finally organized with the help of a friend who had called the embassy. She claimed that even after my mother sold her land to pay the police, they still sent me back to jail. There, she endured appalling conditions for a month.
Adenike's horror worsened when she was arrested on her way to pick up her travel documents, which she had finally organized with the help of a friend who had called the embassy. She claimed that even after my mother sold her land to pay the police, they still sent me back to jail. There, she endured appalling conditions for a month.
After being rescued by a helpful police officer, she was turned over to further traffickers. "I was sold to a brothel." In order for men to see what they were paying for, I was stripped naked. "Hell," she murmured.
There, she was made to sleep with males for two weeks. Every morning, they dropped us off to the brothel. I once got dropped off at the residence first, so I scaled a fence to get away.
After running to the embassy, Adenike spent two weeks there before being placed on a trip back to Nigeria that was sponsored by the government. "Ogun State Government sent a bus to take some of us to a cultural center in Abeokuta after we landed in Port Harcourt and were profiled in a warehouse."
There, she was made to sleep with males for two weeks. Every morning, they dropped us off to the brothel. I once got dropped off at the residence first, so I scaled a fence to get away.
After running to the embassy, Adenike spent two weeks there before being placed on a trip back to Nigeria that was sponsored by the government. "Ogun State Government sent a bus to take some of us to a cultural center in Abeokuta after we landed in Port Harcourt and were profiled in a warehouse."
When asked why so many Nigerians take the chance of making these trips, Adenike responded, "It's poverty, ignorance, and deceit." Many people get stuck in Libya even if they believe they are heading to Europe.
Today, Adenike is back in Nigeria with her two children, one born before her traumatic voyage and the other after her homecoming. "Every Nigerian I encountered in Libya had some sort of problem. You were either incarcerated or employed by someone. Almost no one was available to assist," she continued.
Today, Adenike is back in Nigeria with her two children, one born before her traumatic voyage and the other after her homecoming. "Every Nigerian I encountered in Libya had some sort of problem. You were either incarcerated or employed by someone. Almost no one was available to assist," she continued.
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