The Nigerian government has rescued a Nigerian woman trafficked to Lebanon.
Identified as Omolola Ajayi, the lady is now in the custody of the Nigerian Embassy in Beirut.
This was revealed by the chairperson of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDC), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
“Ms Ajayi would return to Nigeria soon.
“Update on the viral video of trafficked Nigerian girl in Lebanon. She is now happily in the hands of the Nigerian Ambassador in Beirut, received warmly and happy to be in safe hands. She will be home soon by God’s grace,” A WhatsApp message sent to Politics Nigeria by the NDIC reads.
Ajayi, a 23-year-old single mother from Osun state, was fraudulently recruited as a teacher but sold as a domestic slave in Lebanon.
Recall that she had pleaded for assistance via a video that went viral on social media. Ajayi alleged that she has had to fend off abuse from her employer.
“My plan was to be teaching pupils English Language in Lebanon. On getting here, the person that brought me seized my passport. I was wondering what happened. I later knew I had been sold off to slavery.
“If I am sick, they won’t take me to hospital. They will only give me drugs. Half of the people whom we came here together have died. I am appealing to Femilick Life Support to come to my aid. I don’t want to die here. I need help to return home.
“The person I live with wants to rape me but I have been resisting him. He collected my phone and said he would not give me the phone until I accept to have sex with him. It is when he sleeps or goes out that I manage to pick the phone where he keeps it,” she added.
Dabiri also revealed that the alleged trafficker has been arrested and will be handed over to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for prosecution.
Reacting to the development, Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, the Chairman House Committee on Diaspora said she is committed to making sure the cases on human trafficking are promptly resolved.
“The young lady Omolola trafficked to Lebanon Is safely at the Nigerian Embassy in Beirut. Jointly we can make a difference. I commit myself to ensure that these cases are resolved promptly and as a matter of fact I will drive a multi-agency collaboration and legislative solution to deal with human trafficking,” she said.
