Mercy Oluwagbenga, a young Nigerian woman recently rescued from Libya, has issued a heartfelt plea to fellow Nigerians, especially youths, urging them not to embark on dangerous and illegal migration routes in search of greener pastures.
Oluwagbenga, whose emotional video from Libya went viral, shared her traumatic experience during a visit to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in Abuja, where she was received by the Commission’s Chairperson, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
“Whatever your situation, do not travel through dangerous routes,” she warned, recounting the horrors she endured.
Mercy, an indigene of Kabba in Kogi State, explained that she dropped out of university at age 20 to support her ailing mother. Lured by promises of better opportunities abroad, she was trafficked to Libya, where the reality turned out to be far worse than imagined.
“I spent one year and six months working without pay. All my earnings went toward repaying an agent who claimed I owed ₦2.5 million for my travel,” she said tearfully.
She revealed that she suffered severe abuse, was forced into multiple exploitative jobs, and was at one point locked up in a house where her blood was extracted without consent.
“Nigerians like me in Libya are treated like animals. I was lucky to escape into a camp where I found help,” she said.
Miss Oluwagbenga expressed deep gratitude to Hon. Dabiri-Erewa, Dr. Segun Abraham of Trinity Foundation, and other partners who facilitated her safe return to Nigeria.
She also mourned the death of her mother, who passed away while she was still trapped in Libya. Mercy now hopes to resume her education, which she abandoned in 2018 at 300 level, and is seeking assistance to return to school.
“I don’t want any young girl or boy to go through what I went through. Please don’t take this route,” she urged.
“I’m ready to work with NIDCOM to educate young people about the dangers of irregular migration.”
In her remarks, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa praised Mercy’s resilience and courage, calling her “one of the lucky ones”, a survivor in a crisis that has claimed many lives.
“Too many young Nigerians have died in the desert or drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. Many more remain missing. Irregular migration is nothing short of voluntary suicide,” she stated.
Dabiri-Erewa thanked Dr. Segun Abraham for the financial support that made Mercy’s repatriation possible, and assured that NiDCOM will support her rehabilitation and education.
She also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the launch of NELFUND, an education financing initiative designed to help students like Mercy stay in school, reducing the pressure to seek risky alternatives abroad.
“With support systems like NELFUND, there’s no need for any young Nigerian to drop out of school due to financial hardship,” she added.
NiDCOM reiterated its commitment to combating human trafficking and irregular migration through advocacy, support for returnees, and partnerships with organizations like Trinity Foundation.
