At least 12 Nigerian men rescued from forced labour in the Central African Republic have returned to the country, narrating horrifying experiences of abuse, including allegations of sexual assault at the hands of their Chinese employers.
The men, whose desperate appeal for help went viral in a video three weeks ago, were officially received in Abuja on Friday by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Speaking for the group, their leader, Igorigo Freeborn, recounted how they endured months of gruelling work without pay, alongside sexual exploitation and other degrading treatment.
“We were homosexually abused by our Chinese employers in CAR. I am not ashamed to say it. I want other people to learn from it,” he said.
He continued: “They owed us 11 months of salaries. We were treated badly there, but thank God we are alive to tell our stories,” Freeborn said in a statement signed by the NiDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-rahman Balogun.
According to Freeborn in the statement, the workers endured nearly two years of hardship after they left Nigeria in search of better opportunities.
He thanked the Nigerian government for intervening swiftly after their situation became public, saying, “I used to think nothing good could come out of Nigeria, but we were so happy to receive help and succour from our own country.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the CAR Ambassador in Bangui, NIDCOM, NEMA, Immigration and all those who helped.”
Following the video appeal, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Mission in Bangui, coordinated efforts to relocate the workers to the CAR capital, provide them with medical attention, and ensure their safe return home.
In her address, Dabiri-Erewa condemned the abuses as inhumane and unacceptable, assuring the returnees that the government would pursue justice on their behalf, the statement added.
“The administration of President Bola Tinubu stands firmly against the mistreatment of any Nigerian anywhere in the world,” she said.
She also urged the returnees to be advocates against irregular migration and to support efforts aimed at educating other Nigerians about the dangers of such journeys.
As part of their reintegration, NIDCOM provided the returnees with financial support.
Additional donations came from Perchstone and Greys, presented by Mr. Toyin Adenugba on behalf of Dr. Tolu Aderemi, Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the JAALS Foundation.
The names of the rescued workers are; Igorigo Freeborn, Rotimi Kupoluyi, Ajosi Julius, Odeh Collins, Anifowoshe Yekini, Akubo Oluwaseun, Olayemi Peter Adewale, Stephen Abel Otkli, Samuel Ojochenemi, Alih Joel Muhammed, Unekwu Bala, and Yusuf Bameyi.
NIDCOM said it vowed to work closely with relevant agencies to ensure that the Chinese employers responsible for the alleged abuse are held accountable.
