Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, has vowed to ensure justice for a rescued Nigerian woman who was trafficked to Iraq in 2023, Miss Odunayo Eniola Isaac.
The DG, has directed officers of the counselling and rehabilitation department of the agency to immediately commence a comprehensive rehabilitation procedure and interview session with the rescued victims of human trafficking who arrived in Nigeria from Iraq a few days ago.
On January 22, 2023, Isaac left Nigeria with promises of a stable job, arriving in Baghdad the next day. She was received by WB Warani Manpower, who facilitated her placement. By January 29, she was assigned to work for an Iraqi family of eight. However, her hopes for a better life quickly faded as she was subjected to over 20-hour workdays with little rest and no pay, according to her confession to the authorities.
After four months of unpaid labour, she began demanding her salary, but her pleas were met with violence. Her employers confiscated her phone to isolate her and subjected her to physical abuse, including tying her up and locking her in a dog cage. Despite her suffering, the young lady endured, and her eventual rescue was made possible through the efforts of Nigerian authorities and international partners.
Upon her return, NAPTIP began profiling and rehabilitating her to assess her medical and psychological needs. NAPTIP has vowed to seek justice for Isaac while ensuring her safe reunion with her family.
The NAPTIP DG expressed sadness over the traumatic experience and the hardship faced by the victim and ordered the immediate commencement of a comprehensive rehabilitation programme, counselling, as well as an interview to ascertain the medical status, nature of assistance needed, and immediate psychosocial need of the victim.
“It is also important to advise our youths and parents to always be careful and think twice before jumping at any juicy offer of jobs abroad. Over the past few months, we have intercepted scores of youths, mostly girls, at various points of exit across Nigeria, and their destinations have been some of the volatile Countries in the Middle East.
“Certainly, a dangerous journey of this nature could have been avoided with simple caution and a check from NAPTIP,“ the DG NAPTIP said.
In her testimony, Miss Isaac said, “I thank God that I am alive. I will not wish that my enemy pass through what I experienced. I never thought I could survive the painful ordeal.“
