News

Nigerian female victim of human trafficking
locked up in INS detention in Houston, Texas battles for freedom

March 30, 2007—Ms. Celestina Ifeacho Joseph, a Nigerian victim of human trafficking facing deportation in INS detention in Houston, Texas has made a desperate appeal for help from the United States government and the public.

Speaking during a live interview on KPFT radio () Haiti Show broadcast from Houston, Texas on March 25, 2007, 7.30 p.m. the victim narrated her gruesome ordeal at the hands of Houston based Nigerian brutal human traffickers and their associates and made emotionally desperate appeal for support in her quest for thorough investigation of her story by the government of United States.

Background information

Africans In America News Watch investigation reveals that the victim (Ms. Celestina Ifeacho Joseph) as a poor girl from abject poverty situation in Nigeria was allegedly recruited and trafficked from Nigeria into Houston, Texas in 1984 at the tender age of 10.


Celestina as little girl shown at work in the household of her alleged trafficker in early 1980s in Houston, Texas

Upon arrival in Houston, she allegedly worked for the Nigerian traffickers in various locations for over 15 years without pay. The locations were; 1) Victim worked in their house as household maid doing house chores, cooking, cleaning and babysitting her traffickers’ 4 children as well as children of their associates; 2) Victim worker in their restaurant as cook, waitress, dishwasher, etc; and 3) Victim worked in elderly care business (group home, assisted living for the elderly and sick) owned by the traffickers.

Celestina as grown woman shown at work in the business of her alleged trafficker in early 1990s in Houston, Texas.

She allegedly suffered horrendously painful and dehumanizing and inhuman battery of sexual torture, including excruciating physical and emotional torture details of which are too gory and graphic for print for over 15 years. She allegedly escaped from her traffickers in 1999.

Though she is currently 33 years old and had been in United States for 23, she remain undocumented because her traffickers allowed her papers to expire and did not bother to renew it. Her knowledge of the how the system works in United States is severely limited due to lack of formal education, lack of appropriate exposure, fear and intimidation, compromisingly coerced socialization processes, among other factors.

Lies, cover-up and obstruction of justice

Africans In America News Watch investigation reveals that due to fear, intimidation and ignorance, victim Celestina was too scared to open up and tell her full story initially when she came in contact with the U.S. immigration department (INS agents). She allegedly went through some convoluted marriage process, details of which is not so clear yet, but she was still too terrified of her traffickers to disclose her full ordeal to the U.S. authorities. She was subsequently arrested by the INS and placed on deportation.

Faced with possibility of deportation to Nigeria where she may be at the mercy of her traffickers’ wraths since she has belatedly started to open up on her horrendous ordeals, she had consequently, though belated as well, decided to cried out for help.

1. Help in securing trustworthy and professional legal representation, and
2. Help in convincing the U. S. government to give her another opportunity to tell her full story (thorough investigation of her story) with view to certify her as a victim of severe form of trafficking-in-person.

Africans In America News Watch investigation reveals, however, that there are serious questions about the quality of legal representation this victim had when she came in contact with the INS.

The circumstances leading to the victim's arrest and deportation proceedings by INS appear complex, however, what appears clearly disturbing is the report that one of the attorneys that had represented her was secured and provided to her by the trafficker and may have been friend or associate of the traffickers.

Consequently, the facts and circumstances of victim’s situation were not truly made known to the United States authorities and the courts. In a nutshell, the poor and naïve victim apparently never had a real legal representation. The attorney was there to protect the trafficker’s interest and not the victim’s, according to the victim and her supporters.

More alarming is the allegation that the lawyer who is representing her is a Nigerian immigrant who may be sympathetic to the trafficker, therefore raising the clear possibility of cover-up and obstruction of justice, among others.

Example; the victim complaint about the Nigerian immigration attorney include a presentation he allegedly submitted informing the court that the victim’s trafficker had passed away. The victim punched holes on this misleading claim by stating that her trafficker is alive and lives in Houston, Texas. The victim only belatedly fired the attorney after she was arrested by INS and put in detention. By then the damage had been done.

The victim stated that she had witnessed other criminal activities perfected by her traffickers and their associates, which she has indicated willingness to disclose to the authorities, now that she is facing deportation.

Africans In America News Watch investigation reveals that effort to intimidate the victim may have begun. Our investigation reveals that the associates of the traffickers may have visited the victim in detention to warn her never to disclose certain ‘incriminating information’ she may have about their activities.

Now that victim is facing deportation, she and few members of the Nigerian community in Houston including medical professionals, social workers and community leaders that know her case very well are now outraged at the poor victim’s ordeal and may have also belatedly decided to save her.

Recently, a Houston based Nigerian immigrant human rights advocate/activist Chief Eric Ufom, President of Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc, and Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities of Nigerian in the Diaspora contacted a New York-based Africans In America, Inc. (AIA), a leading human rights organization addressing social issues concerning the larger African community in United States. This organization is championing the African community efforts to advocate services to Africans victims of human trafficking that are largely ignored, un-served, underserved and sidelined in the distribution of resources. Both organizations have commenced high-level, as well as grassroots effort to save this victim.

It is unknown whether the pressure will be enough to convince the INS to put her deportation on hold and reopen investigation.

Human rights advocates and other supporters are hoping that the authorities take into account the circumstances of this victim and reconsider her case. Meanwhile, time may be running out since the INS agents had reportedly informed her to get ready for deportation any moment from now.

Sadly though, the poor victim in this case, like other victims in other cases across the country is not getting overwhelming support from her community. Sadly, the African community in general has embarrassing habits of supporting the more affluent traffickers and help to further oppress and suppress the poor and the weak. Very sad, indeed.

Africans In America News Watch investigation reveals that there are many cases such as Celestina’s scattered allover the place within the African communities in United States.

Many African victims of human trafficking stranded in the United States are generally too terrified to come forward for fear of arrest by INS for expired documents, fictitious documents and fictitious names of the expired documents, lack of fund to hire an attorney, lack of concrete support, fear of whether the authority will investigate their story, among other reasons. Africans victims of human trafficking are generally very poor and rarely could they afford the high cost of quality legal services in United States.

Human rights advocates and African community leaders in United States are networking the authorities, insisting that it is imperative that deportation of this victim be put on hold to give the government the opportunity to thoroughly and clinically investigate this case in view of new and unfolding information.

Victims certified by U.S. government may get protection of the law, some services including adjustment of status, T visa and other government mandated benefits. Victims may also pursue civil claim against their traffickers.

The African communities in United States, especially, the Nigeria communities are closely watching this case, which may have a far-reaching implication on the government effort to combat human trafficking.

Africans In America News Watch investigation reveals that several individuals including a lady who identified herself as the accused human trafficker have contacted Africans In America, Inc. and presented entirely different picture of the story. They stated that they never know the meaning of the word human trafficking.

They denied all the allegations and added that the victim was treated very well after she was brought to United States on humanitarian ground. They added that they even attempted to help her when she had this immigration problem.

They also blamed the whole problems on the Houston based Nigerian immigrant human rights advocate Chief Eric Ufom, President of Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities International, Inc, and Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities of Nigerian in the Diaspora and called him all sorts of unprintable names, and raised very serious questions about his personality, character, integrity, credibility and motives.

They however, admitted that the victim is one of their own, came to United States in 1984 at the age of 10, worked for them, did not get formal education, is currently in prison and facing deportation.

The Executive Director of Africans In America, Bonaventure Ezekwenna encouraged the callers to put their feelings towards anybody including Chief Eric Ufom aside and work genuinely towards the freedom and justice for the victim based on humanitarian grounds.

Mr. Ezekwenna, a vociferous human rights activist reminded the callers to remember that we are in a society (America) that frowns at gross injustice to the weak and protects the weak. Mr. Ezekwenna reminded them that this lady in detention in Houston, Texas is weak today, but when the system (the American system, not Nigerian system) takes a very close look at her situation, the bubble will burst and the community that abused her and those that looked the other way will cry bitterly. Mr. Ezekwenna encouraged them to do research and see how those kinds of cases were solved in the past.

Mr. Ezekwenna indicated willingness to be part of the solution, as far as justice to the victim is sincerely paramount.

Unfortunately, none of the callers was willing to make any commitment to work towards the freedom of the victim from INS detention thereby fueling the suspicion that they want her deported to conceal some ‘things.’