The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, has directed officers of the Counseling and Rehabilitation Department as well as operatives of the Intelligence and International Cooperation Unit (IICU) to immediately begin a comprehensive rehabilitation procedure and interview session with the rescued victim of human trafficking, Miss Odunayo Eniola Isaac, who arrived in Nigeria from Iraq a few days ago.
A statement by the NAPTIP Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, recalled that NAPTIP, in collaboration with other partners, including members of Civil Society Organizations and foreign agencies, had facilitated Miss Eniola Isaac’s return from Baghdad following a viral video and media reports that escalated her ordeal at the hands of an Iraqi taskmaster.
The victim arrived in Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and was received by NAPTIP operatives after the initial arrival procedures were carried out by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on duty at the airport.
Speaking while receiving the victim at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja, the Director General expressed sadness over the traumatic experience and hardship faced by the victim. She ordered the immediate commencement of a comprehensive rehabilitation program, counseling, and an interview to ascertain the victim’s medical status, the nature of assistance needed, and her immediate psychosocial needs.
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The Director General said, “I just finished interacting with the victim. I must say that she had a close shave with death, and we are all happy that she is alive to tell her painful story.
“On 22nd January 2023, she left Nigeria and arrived in Baghdad, Iraq, the next day, 23rd January 2023. She was received at the airport by officials of WB Warani Manpower, the company she was registered to work for. She was taken to the hospital on 24th January 2023 to certify her medically fit for the job she would be assigned to.
“Her Iraqi agent, Alhaja Shakirat Yusuf, whom she knew only as ‘Mama Uganda,’ came to WB Warani Manpower to officially sign her in on 25th January 2023. She was then assigned to work for an Iraqi family of eight (six children and two parents) on 29th January 2023. Her work hours spanned about twenty hours a day, with little or no rest.
“According to Miss Odunayo, after one month of work, she requested her salary, but her madam explained that because of the high commission in paying money into Nigerian accounts, she would be paid every two months. She agreed, but after four months, when she still hadn’t been paid, her ordeal began when she dared to request payment.
“Her phone was confiscated to prevent communication with her family. Each time she asked for her remuneration or spoke about it, she was beaten, resulting in bleeding and bodily injuries. On one occasion, her madam bound her hands and feet and threw her into a dog’s cage until 3 a.m. before releasing her to continue with her work.
“Because of her level of exploitation and trauma, I have directed the relevant departments and operatives of the Agency to immediately begin profiling, interviewing, and implementing a comprehensive rehabilitation process. This is to enable the Agency to assess her medical status, the nature of assistance and skills needed, and to design a plan to reunite her with her family.
“Additionally, NAPTIP will take the necessary steps to ensure justice for her. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our partners, including the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), embassies, Nigerian missions abroad, other partnering Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Hope Haven Foundation, the media, and other stakeholders, for their successful collaboration and support, which led to the eventual return of Miss Eniola Isaac.
“It is also important to advise our youths and parents to be cautious and think twice before pursuing any seemingly lucrative job offers 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 included volatile countries in the Middle East.
“Certainly, this dangerous journey could have been avoided with simple caution and a check from NAPTIP,” said Binta Adamu Bello, Director General of NAPTIP.
In her testimony, Miss Eniola Isaac said, “I thank God that I am alive. I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy to go through what I experienced. I never thought I could survive the painful ordeal,” she recalled bitterly.