Nigerian Woman Trafficked to Iraq Cries for Help After Alleged Rape and Abuse by Employer
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A 27-year-old Nigerian woman, Francis Julianah Omowunmi, has called for urgent help to return home after allegedly being trafficked to Iraq, where she was subjected to rape, abuse, and forced labor.
Omowunmi, who hails from Ekiti State in southwestern Nigeria, told SaharaReporters that she was lured abroad under false promises by a friend of her sister’s husband. She was initially handed over to an agent in Akure, Ondo State, who then transferred her to another agent in Lagos—one Alhaja Nafisat—who ultimately trafficked her to Iraq on October 7, 2023.
Upon arrival, Omowunmi was forced into domestic servitude. Her employer not only raped and physically assaulted her but also conspired with his family and friends to threaten her life if she spoke out. She recounted how, after discovering she was pregnant due to the assault, her employer’s wife took her to a hospital, where she was drugged, and an unsafe abortion was performed without her consent.
“I was given medication supposedly for a headache, but I knew something was wrong. When I refused to take it, my boss threatened to beat me. Later, when the pain became unbearable, I told his wife, who took me to the hospital. I was drugged, and when I woke up, I was in severe pain,” she said.
After the abortion, Omowunmi’s employer forced her out of the house. She was later taken to his wife’s father’s home, where she was interrogated about what had happened. Fearing for her life, she initially withheld details but later confided in someone at her employer’s agency.
Despite reporting the case, justice remains elusive. She was promised repatriation but has been stranded for months without pay.
Omowunmi’s ordeal mirrors that of Odunayo Eniola Isaac, another Nigerian woman trafficked to Iraq under false pretenses. Odunayo suffered two years of inhumane treatment before eventually returning to Nigeria in January 2025, following intervention from Nigerian authorities.
Omowunmi now fears she may never make it home unless urgent action is taken. She has refused to sign documents in Arabic that allegedly claim she fabricated the rape allegations in exchange for unpaid wages.
Her case underscores the dangers Nigerian women face in the Middle East under exploitative labor conditions. She is now appealing to the Nigerian government, human rights organizations, and well-meaning individuals to intervene and secure her safe return.
Her desperate plea adds to growing calls for stricter measures against human trafficking networks that lure vulnerable women abroad under the guise of employment opportunities.
