Prominent Politician Involvement in Human Trafficking
In Nigeria Uncovered As 67 years old female victim reveals her ordeal in United States

The recruiter is a very wealthy business mogul, politician - a governorship candidate in Imo State, Nigeria in 2003 election. The trafficker/captor in United States is from wealthy and politically well-connected family in Nigeria, as well.

New York, August 7, 2006—A Nigerian-American business mogul and community Chief (name withheld) based in United States and Nigeria approached an uneducated, poor and homeless widow with three children, Mrs. Marthina Okeke (a.k.a. Mrs. Marthina Stella Okereke) in Arondizogu, Imo State, Nigeria in 1988 and offered her work as a housekeeper and sitter in United States of America.

The Chief promised her the following if she accepts the offer:

• To process the papers and obtain United States visa for her and buy her flight ticket to United States
• To build a house for her and her children since she has no house in her compound
• To send her children to school and skill training institute
• To give them fund to set up their own business at the completion of training
• To ensure that she is paid very well for housekeeping and babysitting work in United States.

First visa attempt at United States Consulate in Kaduna was rejected

When Marthina Okeke accepted the offer, the Chief took her to United States Consulate in Kaduna and applied for a United States visiting visa. He filled all the application forms at the Consulate with a concocted story that Mrs. Okeke’s daughter living in New York had delivered a new baby and Mrs. Okeke was wanted to visit them to see her grandchild and the family. Her visa application was rejected after the interview.

The Chief investigated and found out that Mrs. Okeke’s visa application was rejected because Mrs. Okeke told the Consulate staff some truth namely;

• That her husband was dead
• That her children are teenager age and up and will take care of themselves
• That she will like to stay in United States for a long time

The Chief perfected second attempt at United States Embassy in Lagos, which resulted in approval

The Chief secured new documents and took Mrs. Okeke (now Mrs. Marthina Stella Okereke) to United States Embassy in Lagos, filled all the application forms for United States visiting visa. This time, they told the embassy staff conducting the interview the following different story:

1. That her husband was alive and does not want her to stay for a long time in America
2. That she had little children, and therefore;
3. That she will not stay in United States for a long time, one month the most.

She was issued 5 years multiple entry visiting visa. The Chief took her back to the village to wait for the Madam to arrive from United States to collect her. The madam is a supervisor at a foster care agency.

Madame arrived from United States and took her

The recipient Madam arrived from the United States and took the victim back into the U.S. in the late 1988 when she was about 50 years old with promises of $300.00/month job, but the money promises were never kept. While in United States the victim went through the following:

• Forced/coerced to work as a live-in housemaid taking care of 8 children (5 biological, 3 foster) for her trafficker/captor for about 12 consecutive years without pay
• Worked round the clock, wake up anytime any of the 8 children wakes up: early morning, morning, day, evening, late in the evening, night, late in the night, (practically 24 hours). She cleans them, comfort them, feed them play with them and watch them for about 12 consecutive years without pay.
• Did the household jobs such as cleaning inside and outside of a big family mansion for about 12 consecutive years without pay
• Did gardening at the backyard (till the soil, sow crops, water the garden, weed it and harvest it) for about 12 consecutive years without pay
• Medically neglected for about 12 consecutive years
• After working for about 12 consecutive years without pay, victim requested for her freedom and payment for her labor; her captor (slave holder) threatened to get her deported to Nigeria for asking
• When her immigration papers expired, her traffickers did not renew it, nor filed for adjustment of her immigration status; therefore she has no legal immigration status at this moment.
• Kept in isolation from the public except to the close friends of the traffickers.
• Escaped from the trafficker and took refuge in local church
• Local church handed her over to another African immigrant. This person/s treat her much better, so she said (even though she still does not get paid).
• At the moment, she is totally stranded.

The irony is that victims ordeal is well known within her community association in New York some of whom are social workers, lawyers, healthcare workers, teachers, religious and community leaders and so on who escaped from Nigeria into United States in search of better life, yet no one came to her assistance.

The victim approached our organization with the help of a local journalist in U.S. in 2005 seeking for assistance. We have since commenced efforts to assist this victim.

In the course of our investigation, victim’s family in the village stated that the prominent politician comes home with many armed policemen and do not allow them to see him to inquire about the condition of their mother.

Needless to say that none of the promises made to this woman was kept. Not one.

City of New York Bar Association is working towards her getting T-visa and another law firm is also working on her entitlements.                                         

Remarks:

Victim is old woman  (67 years old), and getting weaker, sicker and is totally stranded.

Barriers/challenges:

This victim is not educated, does not know her way around the city, does not know how to use the mass transit (she needs company to move around), she has language barrier due to accent problem (but if one is patient to speak slowly and clearly, she could communicate a bit in English).