Sodiq Ojuroungbe
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has commenced the rehabilitation of a woman rescued from a harsh Iraqi taskmaster identified as Odunayo Eniola-Isaac.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by NAPTIP’s press officer, Vincent Adekoye, the directive to start the rehabilitation was given by NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Adamu-Bello.
The NAPTIP DG was reported to have directed officers of the rehabilitation department of the agency to begin a comprehensive rehabilitation procedure and interview session with the rescued victim.
She expressed sadness about the traumatic experience and the hardship the victim faced when she was received at the agency’s headquarters.
Eniola-Isaac’s return to Nigeria was facilitated by NAPTIP and various Civil Society Organisations after a viral video of her suffering in Iraq brought attention to her plight.
She was rescued from a harsh work environment in Baghdad, where she had been employed under the company, WB Warani Manpower.
Recounting Eniola-Isaac’s ordeal, the NAPTIP DG revealed that the victim’s employment conditions in Iraq were deplorable.
“I just finished an interaction 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 22 January, 2023, she left Nigeria and arrived in Baghdad the next day.
“She was received at the Airport by officials of WB Warani Manpower, a company she was registered to work for.
“She was taken to the hospital on 24 January to certify her medically fit for the job she would be assigned to do.
“Her Iraqi Agent, Shakirat Yusuf, who she knows only as ‘Mama Uganda’ came to WB Warani Manpower to sign her in officially on 25 January and she was assigned to work for an Iraqi family of eight, six children and two parents, on 29 January, 2023.
“Her work hours span about 20 hours plus a day, with little or no resting time,” the NAPTIP boss said.
She said the victim was not paid her labour entitlement by her employer when the time came to pay her, which sparked the beginning of her ordeal as she dared to request for her payment.
She said her phone was confiscated to prevent communication with members of her family and each time she asked for her remuneration or spoke about it, she suffered a beating resulting in bleeding and bodily injuries.
“At a point, her madam bound her hands and feet and threw her into the dogs’ cage until 3 a.m. before she was released to continue with her work.
“I have directed the relevant department and operatives of the agency to start immediate profiling, interview, and the comprehensive process of rehabilitation for her,” she said.
Adamu-Bello noted that the agency would also ensure justice for her, while advising Nigerian youths and parents to always be careful and think twice before jumping at “any juicy offer in abroad.”
According to her, over the past few months, the agency has intercepted scores of youths, mostly girls, at various points of exit across Nigeria.
She said that the destination of most of the girls were volatile countries, especially to the middle east, adding that a dangerous journey of this nature could be avoided with simple caution.
On her part, Miss Eniola-Isaac, while thanking God that she was alive today, said that she would not wish her enemy her type of experience.
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