₦airaland Forum

Investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo has warned Nigerians seeking to escape economic hardship through irregular migration that they could encounter more difficult conditions in Libya.

Soyombo, who is also the founder of Foundation for Investigative Journalism, spoke during an interview on ARISE News on Sunday while discussing his 47-day undercover journey from Kano through Niger to Tripoli, where he documented the experiences of migrants travelling along the Sahara Route.

He said some Nigerians facing economic deprivation may see migration as an escape without fully understanding the conditions they could encounter in Libya.

“You know, when you are trying to escape economic deprivation, you think that any other option is good. The options in Libya are worse,” Soyombo said.

He said some Nigerians who reach Libya become stranded after running out of money and are forced to take jobs to survive while trying to raise funds for another attempt to cross into Europe.

“What happens a lot of time is, they get to Libya, they realise they can’t cross. They are stuck. They run out of funds. Then they have to go into many jobs to at least be able to eat. Then they start saving to cross,” he said.

Soyombo said irregular migrants in Libya also face difficulties accessing normal financial services and may be vulnerable to robbery because they have to keep their money in cash.

“But don’t forget, you’ve gone into Libya illegally because Libya already criminalised irregular migration. You can’t open a bank account. So you keep cash. Anyone can rob you,” he said.

He also described the conditions faced by migrants who take up agricultural work in the desert, saying they can be exposed to extreme temperatures and may not receive payment for their labour.

“The Nigerians who are in Libya are farming. Do you know the temperatures in Libya? It’s a desert. The hottest Nigerian state I’ve been to is probably Yobe,” Soyombo said.

He added, “The Agadir that was the start of the desert was like 20 degrees centigrade to 32 degrees centigrade. In the desert, you are talking temperatures of 40 and more as you go to farm.”

Soyombo also recounted an incident involving migrants who, according to him, were taken to work on a farm and were not paid.

“We were stopped at a village. One Arab man came. And you know, again, because I was on a mission, my eyes were everywhere. Once I saw him approaching, I took to my feet,” he said.

He said those who could not escape were taken to the farm.

“The guys that were not fast, he conscripted them to the farm. They worked for like three hours in this scorching sun. And he didn’t pay them a dime,” Soyombo said.

According to him, the migrants were later robbed of their money and taken back to work.

“The following day, he came back, went to a nearby hut, passed them and said, why would you be a migrant and you have money? No migrant, if you want money, go and work on the farm.”

“Robbed them, took their cash, took them to the farm and he didn’t pay them a dime. Who were they going to complain to? He robbed them and then he enslaved them,” he said.

Soyombo said he did not blame Nigerians who had travelled to Libya, noting that some migrants he encountered told him they would not have made the journey had they known the difficulties ahead.

“I don’t blame them, I will never sit anywhere and blame anyone who has gone to Libya. Because on that trip, a lot of migrants told me, oh, if I knew I would suffer this much, I wouldn’t come,” he said.

He said his investigation was intended to provide first-hand information about the dangers associated with the journey and help Nigerians make more informed decisions.

“So we have to help people to let them know how that Europe they want to get is extremely difficult,” Soyombo said.

He also said the journey was more unpredictable than many migrants realise, despite preparations and estimates about how long it could take.

“So for instance, the first thing is that you can never predict that journey. I spent six months preparing for this project. I was told to budget 30 days. I ended up spending 47 days,” he said.

Soyombo said many migrants embark on the journey without adequate information about the risks.

“So they embark on that journey not knowing how dangerous it is. It’s far more dangerous than… It’s not a journey I would wish on my enemy,” he said.

He added that documenting his experience was one way of providing Nigerians considering the route with information about what they could encounter.

“And for me, the most straightforward way to help them is to say, this journey you’re about to go through, I went through it and have documented it. These are photos, these are videos,” Soyombo concluded.

Source: https://punchng.com/dont-travel-to-libya-hardship-worse-there-fij-journalist-soyombo-warns-nigerians

Dem no dey tell blind man say rain dey fall.

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/dont-travel-to-libya-hardship-worse-there-fij-journalist-soyombo-warns-nigerians

Nigeria needs GOD'S immediate intervention.


Man compares Qatar
Don't go to Libya

On this same Nairaland, both made frontpage within same hour, yet........

Make jennyclay and verminnel travel to libya first

Anywhere but Nigeria, this is the pain that our government has put us through

Send these stories to these politicians failing us. They may have a change of mindset.

Why advising them Mr Fij? Pls go to Libya, go to Somalia, go to Afghanistan, go to N. Korea, go to Yemen, go to Syria, pls go to Gaza may amadioha kee anyone wey go stop una from going those places....

Apart from hardship, the way they treat black ladies like slaves is too much. They abuse black ladies sexually, emotionally, physically etc. The stories we hear from Nigerian ladies are pathetic.

This is what investigative journalism means. Not that junk Hundeyin does.

Watching the testimonies of people experiences with Italian Davido, about this Libya, I wouldn't advice my enemy to travel out through that route.

Part 1
https://fij.ng/article/undercover-europe-through-the-sahara-desert-and-the-mediterranean-sea-i/

Part 2
https://fij.ng/article/undercover-europe-through-the-sahara-desert-and-the-mediterranean-sea-ii/

Part 3
https://fij.ng/article/undercover-europe-through-the-sahara-desert-and-the-mediterranean-sea-iii/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzZ8iOE9hwI

Jayhome24:
Why advising them Mr Fij? Pls go to Libya, go to Somalia, go to Afghanistan, go to N. Korea, go to Yemen, go to Syria, pls go to Gaza may amadioha kee anyone wey go stop una from going those places....

Tell your thief not to rig the election, they will come back home.
Obi your popular guy will fix things. It is not that difficult.

boxypane:
Send these stories to these politicians failing us. They may have a change of mindset.

Not when they have sworn deals and sold their souls to Lucifer.
It is a taboo for such people to do good.

boxypane:
Send these stories to these politicians failing us. They may have a change of mindset.

Your politicians wey get hearts of stone abi another one dey?

Imalwayshorny:
Make jennyclay and verminnel travel to libya first

You should be banned indefinitely for always trolling.

What a coward!

There's so much ignorance in Africa Billahi

As I type this message, there are hundreds of them lurking around Kano, waiting for the next window to venture into the desert.

See ehn, there's a lot of work to be done to restore this country back to sanity.

Is there even hope at all?

Such a pity!

Libya use to be heaven until the west destroyed it


It's no more safe going there for anything

MaddKingg001:
Anywhere but Nigeria, this is the pain that our government has put us through

Nigerians are not the only one that embark on the perilous desert journey to Europe via Libya. It's an African problem. In fact Nigerians don't make up less than 30% of Africans that go on that death bound journey.

Rufai Oseni can never embark on such project.

His own is to sit in the studio and be criticising public officials, calling them derogatory names.

Ordinary one woman he can't seem to convince to marry him.

But he's insulting people that have been able to canvas and win thousands of votes

Eleribu

Me, it is better for most APC suffering supporters to travel to Libya than using them to be causing this propaganda problem they are causing in Nigeria today.



😂😂😂

Nigerians should come back and take back what is rightfully theirs

Nigerians would rather die trying to migrate than fight/clamour for a better Nigeria..

Noooo, let them go o. They said it is just a route and not a permanent residence for them o

Hardship, slavery and servitude is what Libya has been reduced to since the death of Gaddafi. Northern Nigeria is better than there

Obidients no go still hear, I think they should be encouraged to go, so they can appreciate some things they take for granted here

Jakpon:
People have been going on this journey before the present administration. It is not a recent phenomenon. It's been so since the 1980's
By the way, what is Pitobi's manifesto on human trafficking and illegal migration. Aside from his fake statistics, lie and China went back to China ridiculous comments, I have never heard him properly articulate his plans for Nigeria

Your lies are classic, very familiar lines.
"There has been hunger and poverty in the land before my existence."
"I never came to fix anything, I came to grab power, loot and steal, all is fair in politics."
"It is my turn."

You query Bitter Obi's manifesto?
Give us yours and you performance in the last 4 years, evidence that you aren't talking nonsense.
Don't use words like lie and fraud loosely against that gentleman, those words are best suited for your rogue regime.

PheelzAlmighty:
Nigerians would rather die trying to migrate than fight/clamour for a better Nigeria..

Absolutely.
They rather flee than fight their oppressors, the feudal overlords they worship.

The white man on the other hand stands to fight his own problems and conquers them thus he cannot understand how folks that struggled for independence two generations ago have lost that mojo and are rather begging to be enslaved....again.

Jakpon:
People have been going on this journey before the present administration. It is not a recent phenomenon. It's been so since the 1980's
By the way, what is Pitobi's manifesto on human trafficking and illegal migration. Aside from his fake statistics, lie and China went back to China ridiculous comments, I have never heard him properly articulate his plans for Nigeria

Yes, and they will be going on this perilous journey long after your beloved government has come to pass because they have not changed anything for good.

Not surprised. The mantra has always been, 'it is my turn'. No one asked the simple question, 'turn to do what'. The reality is now clear at democratic halftime. Turn to maintain the status quo of misrule. 3 and a half years down the drain.

Of course, it’s all about the ‘benefits’s of Libya. Let’s keep the good vibes flowing! AcadaWriter

Obiedun:
Apart from hardship, the way they treat black ladies like slaves is too much. They abuse black ladies sexually, emotionally, physically etc. The stories we hear from Nigerian ladies are pathetic.

Sorry, but any Nigerian, more so a female, who decides to take the risk of illegal migration through the route of racist, demonic North African countries….i’ve got no more tears to shed for them! Everyone has heard how evil those North African Maghreb animals are, yet some naive and daft Nigerian would either not do their homework before deciding to embark on such a perilous journey, or know the dangers involved yet choose to ignore them! Whatever they see let them take it like that!

If things good for this nation who for go there,one thing is ,the ladies are attracted by the rate of the currency