A Nigerian woman identified as Victoria has gone missing in Libya after sending desperate pleas for help, alleging that police officers tore up her work permit, detained her in Oshofana, and demanded 5,000 Libyan dinars for her release. The case has prompted Nigeria's National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to refer it for action.
Arrest and Alleged Ransom Demand
Victoria reportedly appealed for help after her arrest on October 19 while trying to earn money in Libya as she awaited her return to Nigeria. According to a report by SaharaReporters, a Nigerian advocate who spoke to the publication said the officers demanded Victoria’s passport during the arrest. When she presented her work permit, locally known as a “Pataka”, the officers allegedly tore the document into pieces before taking her away.
Victoria reportedly said she was subsequently taken to Oshofana, where she was told to pay 5,000 Libyan dinars to secure her release. She said she could not afford the sum. In a message obtained by SaharaReporters, she wrote: “Police people sell me inside oshofana please help me out.”
Desperate Messages and Fears for Safety
In another message, Victoria explained that she was borrowing someone else’s phone to contact the advocate and feared she would lose the opportunity to seek help when the phone’s owner left. “I borrow someone phone and if the person leave I will not be able to talk to you again,” she reportedly wrote. She later sent another message saying the person lending her the phone was about to leave and that she would try to contact the advocate again using another device.
SaharaReporters also reported obtaining an audio recording allegedly sent secretly by Victoria, in which she described her situation and appealed for help while trying not to attract attention. The advocate said Victoria’s last reported voice message was received on October 20. The message was whispered, and the source said the woman sounded frightened. The advocate added that there had been no further communication from Victoria by the time the report was published, raising concerns about her safety and whereabouts.
NAPTIP Response and Broader Migrant Concerns
Reacting to the report, Vincent Adekoye, spokesperson for NAPTIP, said the agency had not previously received information about the case but would refer it to the appropriate department for action. “The Agency is not aware of this before now. However, I will forward it to the appropriate Department for immediate action,” Adekoye said. He also urged Victoria’s relatives to contact NAPTIP and provide further information that could assist the agency’s intervention.
The reported incident comes amid concerns about the safety of Nigerian and other African migrants in Libya. In a separate report published in September, SaharaReporters described fear among Nigerians living and working in the country following warnings circulating in migrant communities that Africans should leave before October 1, 2026. Some Nigerians reportedly said landlords had asked them to leave their accommodation and employers or colleagues had advised them not to report to work. However, the reports did not establish that the warnings constituted an official Libyan government directive.
As of the latest account reviewed for this report, Victoria’s whereabouts and condition remained unclear, and there was no confirmed update on whether she had been located or released.
