[size=14pt]Death of a Nigerian who fell victim to traffickers in Saudi Arabia[/size]

TOYOSI OGUNSEYE


Young Nigerian ladies have become pawns in the hands of unscrupulous men and women who take them abroad where they are used for illegal purposes. Consequently, the number of Nigerian ladies dying abroad in unclear circumstances has been on the increase. TOYOSI OGUNSEYE examines this phenomenon in the light of Itunu Ogunkola's death and reports that prostitution, forced marriages and illegal harvesting of human organs for sale are some of the reasons for these deaths



http://odili.net/news/source/2011/jun/12/824.html



Madam Ogunkola was relaxing in her home one evening in the month of February 2011 when her phone rang. She looked at it but the number was not a familiar one. Muttering and wondering who the caller was, Ogunkola picked up the phone only to realise that it was her daughter Itunu that was calling. Knowing that her mother would ask questions, Itunu quickly told her mother she was in Saudi Arabia.

Ogunkola wondered how Itunu got to Saudia Arabia. She says, "I thought she was in Ibadan, Oyo State. Her older sister who lives there had just given birth and Itunu told me that she was going to visit her. In fact, she specifically said she was going to be with her sister between February 4 and 6. We all thought she was in Ibadan, only for her to tell me she was abroad."

Curious to know how her 27-year- old daughter had been surviving in a strange land, the elderly Ogunkola asked Itunu, who replied that she was working as a hair stylist in the country.

Mrs. Ogunkola felt there was more to her daughter's story than she was willing to divulge, so she called one of Itunu's older sisters, Shade, and narrated the conversation she had had with Itunu to her.

Shade told her mother that she did not believe Itunu's story. She says, "I told my mum that Itunu cannot claim to be a hair stylist in Saudi Arabia because when our girls go there, it is prostitution they go there for. We have a distant cousin who died in Saudi Arabia, so I know what I'm talking about. What however surprised me was how Itunu got there."

Shade said that they later found out that it was a woman who lived in their neighbourhood that facilitated Itunu's trip to Saudia Arabia, "The woman linked Itunu to her sister, one Madam Nelly in Saudia Arabia."

Itunu continued to keep in touch with her mother and siblings until March 25. According to Mrs. Ogunkola, Itunu called in the midnight and spoke with everyone in the house until 3a.m when she wanted to go to bed, saying she was tired because she had just returned from work.

That was the last time the Ogunkolas spoke with Itunu.

On March 26, it was gathered that Madam Nelly called her sister and told her that Itunu was in a coma. Shade says, "Madam Nelly's sister then called one of my brothers and told him that Itunu was sick. She then took him to a herbalist in Ijebu where they said they went to pray for Itunu. I didn't even know that all these were happening until April 11, when my mother called me that Itunu was in a coma.

YEs, the traffickers should be blamed BUT dont forget to blame the ignorants who are rushing for their Eldorado (aka fool's gold) illegally. she got what she deserved for trying to cut corners. everyone knows what "most" women brought from 9ja illegally are doing abroad, who is she kidding?!

if prostitution was THAT bad then she would have told her mother and ask to be saved, she didnt, did she?! thats the greed of so many people out there who dont want to flip burgers at the Mc Donalds and would rather sell their toto for quick dirty wealth.
to each their own!

MRbrownJAY:

YEs, the traffickers should be blamed BUT dont forget to blame the ignorants who are rushing for their Eldorado (aka fool's gold) illegally. she got what she deserved for trying to cut corners. everyone knows what "most" women brought from 9ja illegally are doing abroad, who is she kidding?!

if prostitution was THAT bad then she would have told her mother and ask to be saved, she didnt, did she?! thats the greed of so many people out there who dont want to flip burgers at the Mc Donalds and would rather sell their toto for quick dirty wealth.
to each their own!

Don't you know that these traffickers are evil?. They will still kill her if she tries to escape back into Nigeria besides, she may have been kidnapped and exported to Saudi. You never know.

^^are you saying that there is NO WAY OUT but to sell her body till they are done with her?
thats the lie many would tell you BUT the truth is that if they aint fighting then no wonder most are staying afraid.
the is the devil and staying means accepting the devil's work and ways. . . . . . .now, i dont know about you but I would definitely do whats right FOR ME!

dying on your feet trying to escape the evil world of prostitution is better than living on your knees!

MRbrownJAY:

^^are you saying that there is NO WAY OUT but to sell her body till they are done with her?
thats the lie many would tell you BUT the truth is that if they aint fighting then no wonder most are staying afraid.
the is the devil and staying means accepting the devil's work and ways. . . . . . .now, i dont know about you but I would definitely do whats right FOR ME!

dying on your feet trying to escape the evil world of prostitution is better than living on your knees!

Easier said than done. Respect the dead and leave her alone because you didn't know what she went through in the hands of her possible abductors.

what dead are you talking about? do you know the meaning of being in a coma?
are you saying that there is a plausible reason for staying as a slave prostitute?