The Lagos State Command of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has apprehended a Lebanese for recruiting Nigerian women for labour and sexual exploitation in his home country.
Also, the command bursted a thriving baby sale racket and apprehending the seller.
NAPTIP Lagos Commander, Mr. Daniel Atokolo, said the survivor (names withheld) was trafficked by the 54-year-old Lebanese in October 2019, to his home country.
He said the victim was rescued after the agency got a complaint from the trafficked woman’s husband.
According to Atokolo, “ trouble started for the victim when her friend introduced her to the Lebanese who is resident here in Lagos.
“The suspect (names withheld) had trafficked the victim on the pretence of employing her as a caregiver to his aged mother in Lebanon.
“On arrival, the victim was reported to have been received by an agent who handed her over to a family where she was exploited as a domestic servant.
“The victim also reported that she was sexually harassed while working for the said family.”
“When approached by the victim’s husband to return his wife, the suspect reportedly demanded that the victim would only be returned if the family provides another to replace her.”
Faced with no other option, the husband involved NAPTIP and the victim was returned to Nigeria on Saturday, February 2, 2020, and is presently in NAPTIP’s care.
Speaking to the media, the survivor explained that she was an hairstylist while in Nigeria and she had heard many promising stories of a better life abroad.
On this premise, she travelled to Lebanon only to be turned into a slave and not as a cleaner as agreed before her engagement with a promise to be paid $2,000 monthly.
The 34-year-old mother of three said her four months stay in Lebanon was nothing but slavery.
Narrating her ordeal she said: “My friend took me to the Lebanese so as to help him in house cleaning and care for his mummy in Lebanon and he said he will pay me $2000 per month.
“But there was no payment of such. I was carried from one place to another, five places and many places to work.
“My terrible experience included working hard like a slave and not a house girl. Despite my hard work, I don’t eat good food except bread and Lipton. When I always complain, they will gather their left-over foods for me to eat.”
The Kwara born indigene added, “I
was sexually harassed by the older children of the mother of my employer but I resisted.
“I thank God that Nigeria government helped me come back to my Fatherland. I plead with everybody to remain in Nigeria because it will become better.”
Meanwhile, the Commander, NAPTIP Lagos warned Nigerians to take necessary precautions to avoid falling prey to human and sexual exploiters.
Stating the indicators for applying for a job, the Commander said, “We always tell Nigerians, DG NAPTIP Julie Okah-Donli will tell you when the promises are so rosy smell a rat. When every thing is so good… There is no place under the sun where you can pick dollars from the ground.”
He advised those proposing to travel to do some sort of investigations on those offering them jobs.
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