The Senate has taken firm action to facilitate the liberation of numerous Nigerian women and children reportedly held in detention centers across Libya.
The situation was characterized as a form of “contemporary slavery.”
Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan emphasized the need for immediate diplomatic intervention to halt the ongoing abuses and ensure the safe return of the victims.
This initiative was sparked by a senate-forms-committee-to-challenge-us-genocide-claims-nigeria/” title=”… Forms 12-Member Task Force to Challenge US Genocide Allegations Against Nigeria”>motion introduced by Senator Aniekan Bassey (Cross River South), who highlighted the persistent issues of human trafficking, enslavement, and severe human rights violations endured by Nigerian migrants in Libya-a nation notorious as a perilous transit hub for those attempting unauthorized entry into Europe.
Additionally, Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) proposed a motion directing the Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigerian Correctional Service to collaborate closely with Libyan officials to accelerate the release and repatriation of Nigerian women detainees and their children born in custody.
The motion, supported by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, received unanimous approval.
Akpoti-Uduaghan condemned the traumatic ordeals faced by these women, many of whom were deceived with false job offers abroad, only to be trafficked and subsequently imprisoned after fleeing forced prostitution.
“These women suffered double victimization-first at the hands of traffickers, then by a failing system.
“Numerous detainees endured sexual violence while incarcerated, resulting in pregnancies. Their children, born behind bars, must not bear the consequences of crimes they did not commit,” she asserted.
In his opening remarks, Senator Bassey depicted Libya as “a gateway of despair and death” for countless vulnerable Nigerians ensnared by traffickers and criminal syndicates.
He referenced data showing that approximately 1,000 Nigerians were repatriated from Libya in the first quarter of 2025, with many survivors sharing harrowing accounts of torture, sexual abuse, and forced labor.
“One survivor, Mercy Olugbenga, sold her family home to finance her journey to Libya, only to be detained for over a year and subjected to repeated blood extractions against her will.
“This stark reality underscores that slavery remains a present-day atrocity,” Bassey told the Senate.
After a vigorous discussion, the Senate resolved to call on the Federal Government-via the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Humanitarian Affairs, alongside NAPTIP-to develop a holistic reintegration strategy for returnees, encompassing mental health support, vocational training, and startup assistance.
Furthermore, the Senate urged enhanced diplomatic efforts with Libyan authorities and the engagement of regional bodies such as the African Union, ECOWAS, and the United Nations to safeguard detained Nigerians and uphold justice.
The chamber also tasked its Committees on Diaspora, Judiciary, Human Rights, and Foreign Affairs with probing trafficking networks and unlicensed travel agents involved in illegal migration, aiming to strengthen legislation and enforcement frameworks.
