Libya Slave Trade: Migrants were used to prove the efficacy of weapons - returnee

Akoluche was quoted as saying Libyans killed people the way they liked and that when they bought new guns, they used human beings to test the guns.

28-year-old Lucky Akoluche from Ikah North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, have claimed that Libyan traffickers used migrants to test the efficacy of their firearms.

In a report by Punch, Akoluche, a recently returned forced slavery returnee from Libya, narrated his ordeal to Southern City News.

Akoluche was quoted as saying “The Libyans killed people the way they liked. When they bought new guns, they used human beings to test the guns. They call us black monkeys.”

Nigerians make up the majority of undocumented migrants trying to make the treacherous crossing via the Mediterranean Sea to Europe
(AFP)

Reasons for departing Nigeria

“I left Nigeria for Europe on April 25, 2016. I wanted to go to Germany, but I had to go through Libya. I left Nigeria because of the suffering that my family and I were facing.

“I was in the second semester of my first year in Ozoro Polytechnic. But I could not continue because of lack of money to pay my fees,” Akoluche explained.

Continuing, Akoluche said: "So, my sister assisted me with some money, which I used to travel. My friends also advised me to go. I spent about N2m."

Regrets and The Libyan experience

Akoluche obviously has sad memories of his trip and has quite a number of regrets.

He said: “I regret abandoning my studies for a trip abroad. Libya is not good; I did not know that it was like that. I should have searched for something to do here in Nigeria.

“It is better to stay in Nigeria because many people are dying in Libya. There was no water and food for days.

“People die at sea. About 10 persons died in my presence due to lack of water and food for up to a month. Some decomposing bodies were seen in the desert as we were travelling.

“I thank the government for bringing me back. But I appeal to the government to help me with my treatment. I am also willing to work,” he reeled out.

The report also revealed that the returnee was repatriated with an injury in his right hand, which he said he sustained during a fight with a Gambian migrant.

The Federal Government has identified 5,000 more Nigerians trapped in Libyan detention camps.

Charge d’Affaires of Nigeria in Libya, Mr Illiya Fachano, said:“there is a camp with 5000 Nigerians and we need the diplomatic police to escort us to extract them."