Africans In America News Watch, New York

New York, November 15, 2006—Mrs. Marthina Okeke 67 years old Nigerian stranded in New York City for past 18 years has been awarded a T visa by the government of United States.

T visa is a special visa created by United States Congress for individuals determined after diligent and thorough investigation to be victim of trafficking-in-person. Since the law known as Victim of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act was passed in 2001, only very few individuals have been able to meet the very difficult requirements.

Mrs. Okeke, a homeless poor widow, a native of Arondizuogu in Imo State, Nigeria was approached by a wealthy prominent community Chief and politician in 1988 with offer of babysitting job in United States of America for a fee of $300 every month.

Mrs. Marthina Okeke

The politician according to investigation took the un-educated widow to United States Embassy in Nigeria, filled the visa application but was denied. The politician prepared another set of documents and Nigerian passport and took the widow to U. S. Embassy in another city in Nigeria. This time, her visa was approved.

Upon arrival in New York City, the victim was made to baby seat 8 children 24 hours, cleaned inside and outside of a 4 bedroom mansion, cooked and cleaned for her traffickers and captors for 12 consecutive years and was not paid one red cent.

She was trapped with no help in sight.

In July 2005, victim was led to the office of Africans In America, Inc. a human rights organization addressing the needs of African immigrants in New York City. After listening to her predicament, the organization accepted her case and began high-level advocacy on her behalf resulting in this T visa granted by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security.

Victims granted T visa enjoy the protection of US law, and that removes fear of deportation despite fictitious names on their travel papers.  Certified victims also get some social benefits, and freedom to seek monetary compensation for labor, pain & suffering from their traffickers and captors.

The Executive Director of Africans In America, Inc. and human right activist, Bonaventure Ezekwenna stated that good resolution of Mrs. Okeke’s case will encourage other victims still held captive and those stranded and in hiding to trust the government and come forward to get help.

Mr. Ezekwenna also stated that his organization is in the process of establishing an office in rural villages of Nigeria to tackle the problem at the grassroots level. “Unfortunately, abject poverty situation in rural parts of Africa presents opportunity for new slave merchants and middlemen to prey on the clearly helpless natives. Mrs. Okeke has authorized us to use her horrible experience to raise the awareness on the dangers of falling to the lure of the new slave merchants”, said the activist.

Commenting further Mr. Ezekwenna stated, “We are really proud of our work on this case. This woman is very old, getting weaker, un-educated making communication with outside very difficult, and she does not know her way around New York City even though she has been here for over 18 years. We are able to provide her effective intensive case management through generous grants from New York Foundation and Union Square Award Program.”