Mercy Olugbenga, a 28-year-old single mother of two from Kogi State, Nigeria, recounts her harrowing experience of being confined and forced to give blood for her Libyan employer’s ailing mother. Lured to Libya with promises of a better life to support her mother’s kidney treatment, Mercy found herself trapped in modern-day slavery. She worked for one year and six months without pay, settling a debt of N2.5 million to the agent who took her to Libya. Mercy was locked in a house for a year, subjected to monthly blood draws, and treated like an animal. She spent four years in Libya and has appealed to young people to avoid irregular migration, seeking safe and legal channels for travel. Mercy also seeks assistance to return to school, having dropped out in 2018. The International Organization for Migration has evacuated over 14,000 Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya, providing support for reintegration into society, including financial assistance and counseling.
