Senate Pressures FG to Rescue Nigerian Women, Children Held in Libyan Prisons

•Demands swift repatriation, crackdown on trafficking rings

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The senate has urged the federal government to immediately begin diplomatic and humanitarian interventions to rescue and repatriate hundreds of Nigerian women and children languishing in Libyan prisons.

The upper chamber’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Aniekan Etim Bassey (APC, Akwa Ibom South), who drew attention to the harrowing experiences of Nigerians trapped in Libya’s detention centres, many victims of trafficking, slavery, and abuse.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) moved an additional motion mandating the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Correctional Service to work with Libyan authorities to fast-track the release of Nigerian female inmates and their children born in detention.

Her motion, seconded by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, received unanimous support.

Akpoti-Uduaghan decried the plight of the women, most of whom, she said, had been deceived by traffickers promising lucrative jobs abroad.

Instead, they were forced into prostitution or slave labour and later imprisoned by Libyan authorities after attempting to escape.

She said, “These women have suffered double victimisation, first at the hands of traffickers, and then through a system that criminalises their suffering.

“Many were sexually assaulted in custody, resulting in pregnancies. Their children, born behind bars, are innocent victims of a cruel cycle of exploitation,” she lamented.

In his lead debate, Senator Bassey described the situation as a humanitarian tragedy demanding urgent attention.

He said Libya had become “a corridor of death and despair” for many Nigerians who risked irregular migration through the North African country in search of greener pastures.

He cited recent data showing that about 1,000 Nigerians were repatriated from Libya in the first quarter of 2025 alone, many of whom recounted experiences of torture, rape, forced labour, and starvation.

According to Bassey, “One survivor, Mercy Olugbenga, sold her family’s property to fund her journey to Libya, only to be held captive for more than a year while her blood was repeatedly drained for sale.

“It is horrifying to realise that slavery still thrives in our modern world.”

The senate referenced reports by Amnesty International and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which documented widespread human rights violations in Libyan detention centres, ranging from sexual violence and arbitrary detention to extra-judicial killings, often perpetrated by both state actors and armed militias.

Following an intense debate, the senate adopted several far-reaching resolutions aimed at securing the release and rehabilitation of affected Nigerians.

It called on the federal government, through the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Humanitarian Affairs, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), to initiate a comprehensive reintegration and protection programme for returnees.

The plan is expected to include psychosocial support, skills acquisition, and startup grants to enable survivors rebuild their lives.

The upper chamber also urged the federal government to strengthen diplomatic engagement with the Libyan authorities and rally regional cooperation through the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations to ensure protection for Nigerian detainees and accountability for human rights violations.

In addition, the Senate mandated its Committees on Diaspora, Judiciary, Human Rights, and Foreign Affairs to investigate trafficking syndicates and illegal travel networks facilitating irregular migration to North Africa.

The goal, lawmakers agreed, is to identify perpetrators, close regulatory loopholes, and reinforce legal frameworks against human trafficking.

Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) successfully proposed an amendment directing NAPTIP to play a frontline role in the repatriation and rehabilitation process, while collaborating with relevant senate committees to expose cross-border trafficking rings.

Another amendment by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), seconded by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), urged the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and allied institutions to intensify nationwide public enlightenment campaigns on the dangers of irregular migration and deceptive foreign job offers.

Several lawmakers took turns to express outrage over the ordeal of Nigerian women and children in Libyan prisons. Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) described the situation as “a moral stain on our national conscience.”

He insisted that the government must treat the matter as a humanitarian emergency.

Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) condemned Africa’s silence on the abuses, calling on the African Union to hold Libya accountable.

Umeh said, “We are all members of the African Union, yet Africans are treating fellow Africans worse than animals. This level of cruelty should not go unpunished.”

Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended Senator Bassey for spotlighting the issue and directed the Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor the enforcement of the Senate’s resolutions.

Addressing Nigerian youths, Akpabio warned against falling prey to traffickers posing as employment or travel agents.

He said, “Home is home. Those who abandon the safety of our land for false promises abroad often end up in pain. Let us rebuild our nation together, because there is no greater pride than being safe, free, and productive in one’s homeland.”

The Senate’s intervention marks one of its most comprehensive efforts in recent years to address the plight of Nigerians trapped in foreign prisons, and it signals growing parliamentary momentum for stronger action against human trafficking and irregular migration.