What began as promises of employment quickly turned into a nightmare for two young Nigerian women who say they were deceived and trafficked into forced prostitution in Burkina Faso.
For 22-year-old Saviour Aloho, the opportunity initially appeared genuine. She said she was offered a sales job in Lagos through someone she trusted, but the journey that followed led to months of abuse, captivity and exploitation in a foreign country.
“I believed them because the offer came through someone I knew,” she recalled. “I thought I was going to work and start a better life.”
Instead, she said she was taken from Lagos to the Benin Republic and later transported to Burkina Faso. Upon arrival, she was allegedly told she owed traffickers a debt of 1.6 million CFA francs, a sum she said she never agreed to or understood.
Unable to pay the debt, she said she was forced into sex work and threatened with violence whenever she resisted.
Saviour’s story mirrors that of 19-year-old Anita, who said she was also deceived by people she trusted.
According to Anita, a neighbour who had just given birth told her she needed help raising money for hospital bills and asked her to travel to Lagos to meet someone who would provide financial support. She travelled with two others, unaware that the trip would lead to exploitation.
When she arrived, she said she was told the supposed benefactor was in prison and had referred her to a man identified as “Mr Lucky.”
“That was when everything changed,” she said.
From that meeting, Anita said she was separated from the others she travelled with and taken across the border through the Benin Republic into Burkina Faso, where she was forced into prostitution.
Both women described harsh living conditions, including inadequate food, lack of medical care and constant intimidation.
“We were beaten if we refused clients,” Saviour said. “There was no rest. If you refused to work, you were punished.”
They explained that the traffickers repeatedly reminded them of the alleged 1.6 million CFA debt, insisting they had to work until it was paid off before they could regain their freedom.
Human rights advocates say this form of debt bondage is a common tactic used by trafficking networks to control victims and keep them trapped.
Relief eventually came through the intervention of Prosper K.A. Michael, founder of the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organization (GAHTO), who has spent more than two decades working to combat human trafficking.
Michael said the organisation rescued the two women in Burkina Faso and arranged their return to Nigeria with the assistance of the Nigerian Embassy in Ouagadougou.
He expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Muhammad Galadima, for supporting the repatriation process and pledging continued collaboration to tackle trafficking across the region.
According to Michael, poverty and lack of opportunities continue to make many young people vulnerable to traffickers.
“When young people are desperate for work and families are struggling, traffickers exploit that desperation with false promises,” he said, describing human trafficking as a crime against humanity.
Now back in Nigeria and undergoing rehabilitation, the two women say they hope their experiences will serve as a warning to others.
“I want other girls to learn from my story,” Anita said. “Don’t trust anyone who promises quick money or jobs abroad without proper verification.”
Saviour also urged parents to pay closer attention to the people who approach their children with offers of employment or travel opportunities.
Despite the trauma they endured, both women say they are determined to rebuild their lives and move forward. Their experiences, they say, highlight the dangers of human trafficking and the urgent need for stronger efforts to protect vulnerable young people across West Africa.
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