Deceived by false employment promises: The story of how we were coerced into sexual exploitation in Burkina Faso

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—trapped in 1.6m CFA debt

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By Esther Onyegbula

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For 22-year-old Saviour Aloho, what began as a promise of a sales job in Lagos spiralled into months of abuse, captivity and forced sex work in Burkina Faso.

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“I trusted them because it came through someone I knew,” she said quietly, recalling how she left home believing she was stepping into opportunity. Instead, she found herself trapped in a foreign land, burdened with a debt of 1.6 million CFA francs and forced to work long hours under threats of violence.

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Saviour is not alone.

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19 year-old Anita’s journey followed a similar pattern: Deception, betrayal and eventual enslavement.

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Today, both women are back in Nigeria, rescued through the intervention of Prosper K.A. Michael, founder of the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organization (GAHTO).

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Their return has once again highlighted the growing menace of cross-border human trafficking in West Africa, particularly the exploitation of vulnerable young women lured with promises of legitimate work.

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Saviour said her ordeal began when a family member introduced her to individuals who promised her employment as a salesgirl in Lagos. From Lagos, she was moved to Benin Republic, still under the guise of securing work.

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“But when we got to Burkina Faso, everything changed,” she recounted. “They told me I owed them 1.6 million CFA. I didn’t even know how that debt came about.”

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Unable to pay, she was forced into sex work.

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Anita’s experience was equally harrowing.

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A familiar neighbour who had just given birth told her she needed help raising hospital bills and sent her to Lagos to meet someone who would provide financial assistance.

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Anita travelled with two others, unaware that she was walking into a trap.

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On arrival, she was told the supposed benefactor was in prison and had referred her to a man identified as “Mr Lucky.”

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Nightmare

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That meeting marked the beginning of her nightmare.

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“From there, they took me away. The two people I came with were left behind,” she said. She was transported through Benin Republic and eventually into Burkina Faso, where she was forced into prostitution.

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Both women described the conditions as inhumane, inadequate feeding, no medical care and constant threats.

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“We were beaten if we refused clients,” Saviour said.

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“There was no rest. You either worked or you were punished.”

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They said the traffickers used the fabricated debt as a tool of control, insisting they must “work it off” before regaining freedom, a freedom that seemed increasingly distant.

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Human rights advocates say such debt bondage is a common tactic used by trafficking networks to keep victims compliant and fearful.

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Hope came through the intervention of Prosper K.A. Michael, a humanitarian who has spent over two decades combating trafficking and who founded GAHTO in 2019.

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Operating without government funding and relying largely on private donations, GAHTO works to rescue, rehabilitate and empower victims of trafficking.

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Michael described human trafficking as “a crime against humanity” and stressed that poverty remains a major driver of the scourge.

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“When young people lack opportunities and parents are struggling, traffickers step in with false promises,” he said. “We must tackle poverty and strengthen family bonds to protect our children.”

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He disclosed that Anita and Saviour were rescued from captivity in Burkina Faso and repatriated to Nigeria with the support of the Nigerian Embassy in Ouagadougou.

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Michael expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Muhammad Galadima, for facilitating the repatriation process and pledging collaboration to intensify anti-trafficking efforts across Burkina Faso and West Africa.

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The embassy, he said, has committed to working with GAHTO to target hotspots notorious for the sexual exploitation of young girls.

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Now undergoing rehabilitation and support, Anita and Saviour say they are determined to rebuild their lives.

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“I want other girls to learn from my story,” Anita said. “Don’t follow anyone who promises quick money or jobs abroad without proper verification.”

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Saviour echoed the warning, urging parents to be more vigilant about who has access to their children and to scrutinise offers that appear too good to be true.

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Michael said his vision is to position GAHTO as a leading force against trafficking in Nigeria, but he emphasised that partnerships and donor support are critical.

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“We cannot do this alone,” he said. “Every rescued life is proof that intervention works, but many more are still trapped.”

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Their stories, painful as they are, serve as both a warning and a testament to resilience, a reminder that behind the statistics of human trafficking are young women with dreams, families and futures worth fighting for.

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