A Nigerian woman rescued from Libya has urged young people to avoid irregular migration, warning that the journey exposes them to abuse, exploitation, and even death.

Mercy Oluwagbenga, who recently went viral after a video appeal for help, recounted her ordeal to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in Abuja.
“Whatever your situation, do not travel through dangerous routes,” she said, recalling how she was lured to Libya with promises of greener pastures after dropping out of university at the age of 20 to care for her sick mother.

Instead, she said she found herself trapped in modern slavery. For over a year, she worked without pay to settle a debt of 2.5 million naira (around $1,600) owed to the agent who trafficked her. She described being maltreated, changing jobs frequently, and, at one point, being locked in a house where blood was drawn from her without consent.

Oluwagbenga, an indigene of Kabba in Kogi State, said she eventually escaped to a camp before her rescue. She expressed gratitude to NiDCOM chairwoman Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Trinity Foundation’s Dr. Segun Abraham, who facilitated her return.
“I don’t want any young girl or boy to go through what I went through. Please don’t follow this route,” she pleaded, while also requesting support to resume her education, which she abandoned in 2018.

Dabiri-Erewa described her as “one of the lucky ones,” noting that many Nigerians attempting the route through the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea had died or gone missing. She reiterated that irregular migration amounted to “voluntary suicide” and urged youths to use safe and legal channels.

The NiDCOM boss added that the agency would support Oluwagbenga’s rehabilitation while stepping up advocacy against human trafficking. She commended President Bola Tinubu’s introduction of the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which she said could help prevent dropouts like Oluwagbenga from seeking risky alternatives.