EBEANODOTCOM: How We Were Tricked Into Prostitution

Four seemingly repentant commercial sex workers, Glory, Saidat, Toyin and Omowunmi (not real names) have urged other young women to stay off the sex trade.

They stated that commercial sex venture was not a good job and was a deadly venture.

While speaking with Punch in separate interviews before the Kwara State Comptroller, Nigerian Immigration Service, Mrs. Abimbola Abiodun-Ojo, handed them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matter, girls said that they were tricked into the illicit trade because they could not secure real jobs. They however, expressed remorse and regret in their involvement in the trade.

One of the girls, Glory (24), said she hails from Edo State and used to work in a restaurant in Benin, the Edo State capital.

She said that in the course of her interaction with some people, she met a man called Prince, whom she informed of her desire to travel abroad to seek greener pastures.

She said Prince promised to help her and later took her to Burkina Faso after forcing her to swear an oath that she would repay her travel expenses.

Glory said,

“I told him I would like that but that I have a problem; I am not literate. He said I would survive and make it there. That was why I agreed to the offer.

“So we travelled to Burkina Faso in October but instead of helping me to get a job, he sold me to a woman called Rita.

“When I got there, I did not know that it was prostitution that I was to be engaged in. I stayed in Rita’s house for some time. When I was persuaded to start the prostitution work, I refused to work. I was not doing well in the brothel and I always said I wanted to go back home. One day, she asked me whether I did not know that she bought me and that I had to balance her 1million Sefa?”

Glory said since her family was poor and she did not even have money to return home, she had to agree to the prostitution so that she could get money to pay back Rita and return to Nigeria.

Glory said,

“I regret this prostitution. That is why I came back home. Prostitution is not a job. Not all the people who are doing it are happy. I thank God that I came back safely and that I did not contract any disease. I have gone for some tests including HIV and I tested negative. Prostitution is not a good job at all.”

Saidat (22) said she and her two friends were also tricked into the illicit trade like Glory

She stated that a woman from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, popularly called Panta, promised to assist her in getting a job because she could no longer live with her auntie.

According to her, Panta told her she would assist her get a job in a textile manufacturing company and that she would need to go for a two-week knitting training.

She stated that she was surprised when she was later taken to Burkina Faso and was put in a brothel to work as a prostitute.

Saidat said,

“I really regret going there. The woman did not tell me that I was going to be involved in prostitution.

“Prostitution is bad. I do not want people to get involved in such work. It is not a job at all. It could be deadly.”

Abiodun-Ojo said Saidat, Toyin and Omowumi met Panta at a party in Ibadan. She said the party was hosted by a lady identified simply as Funmi. She added that the three ladies exchanged contacts with Panta and they became friends.

The comptroller said the trio narrated their joblessness to Panta who promised to help them.

She said,

“Since they had established a relationship, the day they were to go, they did not have much money so she said they will go to Shaki, where she would obtain passports for them. They asked her how much the passport would cost but she told them not to bother, promising to take them to South Africa.

“When they got to Shaki, Panta was negotiation with a driver and it was obvious she did not know exactly where they were going. One of the women asked Panta where she was taking them. Panta said she was taking them to Burkina Faso and that from there she would take them to South Africa.”