Don’t go to Libya! Nigerian returnees Caution Others

Nigerian government says it has been working with the International Organization for Migration to rescue stranded Nigerians in Libya since January of this year.

Media and public outcry on the human malpractices including the sale of black Africans in slave auctions in Libya have quickened the repatriation efforts, the CNN reports.

"With the outcry, they are going at a faster pace. As the week goes by, the number of planes will increase," Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a senior special assistant to the Nigerian president, said.

Last Tuesday night, 143 latest arrivals landed in Lagos airport, tired and weary. Their future in a land they deserted months back is uncertain. For now, they are happy to be home.

Mabel Emmanuel, 27 told CNN she was kidnapped in Sabha and she could not raise the bail money. Luckily, Henry Stevens, 28 bailed her out last year. They later fell in love.

"I found out I was pregnant in March this year and I gave birth to my baby in August. I gave birth to my baby in prison, with tears. Even though I was pregnant, they were still beating and maltreating me. But I give God the praise that I'm still alive today and I have my baby and my husband now," Emmanuel said.

Abieyuwa Igwe, returned with her 10-month old daughter. She recounts how plans to reach Europe failed after getting stuck in Libya. She discovered she was already pregnant five months after arriving there.

"I was forced to give birth in the back of a condemned vehicle. No hospital. Nothing. It was God that helped me.

Many times the prisoners go hungry as there is no food. “We just ate two slices of bread in the morning with some chai (local tea).” Babies were not treated any better. They hardly received clothes or food for babies.

"The worst thing that I saw was a pregnant woman who was beaten and raped." she said.

Osunde Benjamin graduated in 2002. He embarked on searching for a job in vain. Frustrated, he made the decision to travel to Europe June last year. His decision brought him nothing but misery in Libya.

"The conditions are terrible and miserable. They throw the food at you, you are like dogs. Even at times there's no food. Some people died next to me.

"Libya is a terrible place. They kill people anyhow. They sell people anyhow. I saw people being killed. They cut their heads off, “Benjamin recalls the horrifying experiences.

Like all other returnees, the four urge other Africans to stay away from Libya.

"I will never go to Libya again. If you go there, you're ready to die," Benjamin warns.