The family of a Nigerian woman, Tawakalitu Morenikeji Oyedeji, who was reportedly trafficked to Baghdad, Iraq, has appealed to the Nigerian government to help establish her whereabouts, ensure her safety and facilitate her return home following the death of her father, SaharaReporters has reported.
According to SaharaReporters, the family is also seeking the recovery of $500 in unpaid salaries for August and September, alleging that Oyedeji’s employer collected $800 from her after promising to arrange a flight ticket for her to return to Nigeria for her father’s burial.
The report, published following an account by the family on Sunday, identified the employer as Eng. Asma, an engineer with Al Jumairah Group, also known as Al Jumairah for Engineering and General Contracting, a company headquartered in Baghdad.
The family reportedly alleged that Oyedeji was locked in a dark room for three days without food or water, while her phone was confiscated.
They further claimed that she was threatened with being transferred to another household to work for an additional two years against her wishes.
SaharaReporters reported that Oyedeji travelled to Iraq under a two-year employment contract and had worked for approximately one year and four months, with some additional days, when the alleged incidents occurred.
With only a few months remaining on her contract, she had reportedly been keeping track of her employment period and was expected to complete one year and five months on October 27, 2026.
According to the family’s account cited by SaharaReporters, Oyedeji understood that her employer might refuse to pay for her return ticket because she had not completed the two-year contract.
She reportedly asked how much she would need to pay to secure a flight home and was told that the ticket would cost $700.
The employer’s manager allegedly offered to contribute $300, leaving Oyedeji to provide the remaining $400.
The family said she paid the initial $400 but was informed the following day that she had to pay another $400.
She reportedly made the second payment, bringing the total to $800, in the hope of returning to Nigeria for her father’s burial.
However, according to the family, the promised travel arrangements did not lead to her return, and she was allegedly subjected to further restrictions and mistreatment.
The family is now calling on the Nigerian government and relevant agencies to intervene, establish Oyedeji’s whereabouts, verify her safety, recover her outstanding salaries and facilitate her safe return to Nigeria.
The allegations against the employer have not been independently verified, and SaharaReporters’ account did not include a response from the employer or Al Jumairah Group.
