A young Nigerian woman, identified only as Omowunmi and reportedly in her early 20s, is urgently pleading for help from the Nigerian government to be evacuated from Libya, where she says she has been abandoned. In a video shared on Facebook and seen by SaharaReporters, Omowunmi, from Ondo State, shared that she is seriously ill and stranded in Libya after her guardian left her without support.
Omowunmi explained that she suffers from a severe ulcer, which has worsened due to her inability to afford treatment. According to her, her guardian began to have issues with her when she requested money for medical care. “My name is Omowunmi from Ondo State. I am very sick and I need to come back to Nigeria,” she said. “I need the help of Nigerians. Please have mercy on me. I want to go back to Nigeria. Don’t let me die in Libya.”
Describing her situation, she explained that her illness has prevented her from eating regularly and has caused significant weight loss. “See how I have turned skinny,” she said, adding, “I have an ulcer and it is affecting me so that it is eating my intestines. I cannot eat well for a month now.”
Omowunmi said she paid off her travel expenses but was left without funds when she became ill. After she requested her money from her guardian, the woman allegedly confiscated her SIM card and evicted her at 9 p.m., leaving her homeless and alone on the streets. Despite attempts by her and her mother to reach the guardian, she received no assistance.
Responding to the video, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media for the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), advised Omowunmi to seek assistance from the Nigerian embassy in Libya. “We are not saying people should not migrate, but they should do it responsibly,” Balogun stated. “The commission can only act if she submits a petition or we can forward her plea to the Diaspora focal point officer for Ondo State.”
Omowunmi’s call for help comes amid reports of anti-immigrant sentiment rising in Libya, with virtual campaigns pushing for the deportation of foreign workers, including Nigerians, and restrictions on their activities. A Facebook post from the platform Libya INF.TV stated, “Virtual campaigns have recently escalated in Libya demanding the deportation of foreign workers and restricting their activity,” drawing condemnation from human rights groups.
Another local source, Libya News Today 1, called for fines and taxes on undocumented Nigerian workers. However, the Nigerian government has dismissed these claims. In a recent statement, Eche Abu-Obe, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, assured Nigerians that citizens living in Libya were not facing harassment from local authorities and were able to continue their daily activities.
Source: Saharareporters
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