We Drank Fuel To Survive, Says Returnee Migrant

They were 41 that left Kano to Libya en route to the Sahara Desert from where they would get to Europe but only 10 of them made it to the Maghreb nation.

That is the story of Kelvin Sunday who had saved up N965,000 to embark on the journey after a friend who made it to Europe through Libya had convinced him.

However, Sunday, like many other migrants who are reportedly being sold into slavery in Libya, had a different story to tell after he was repatriated to the country recently.

According to him, the sad tale began when their truck broke down in the desert.

“We were in the desert for three days without food or water. We were drinking our urine to survive,” Sunday told Punch. “It got to a point that when there was no more urine to drink, we started to drink fuel.”

He said on getting to Libya, he was kidnapped by traffickers but later was able to escape.

Sunday said: “When we got to Libya, I was working in my burger’s house. I spent two weeks there before I went to the seaside (in Tripoli) where we would cross. From Sabha to the seaside in Tripoli, I spent two weeks.

“On the way, some traffickers kidnapped us. They beat and loaded us into their Hilux van, but few of us jumped down and I broke my leg. I managed to escape as they were shooting.

“We spent two days in the desert again after that escape. We later saw a motorist whom we begged to help us get to the seaside.

“We were camped at the seaside for three months without any opportunity to cross through the seas. People trying to cross the sea told me to avoid Nigerians helping Libyans to sell people. But later our camp was raided by soldiers, who took us to prison.”

However, luck smiled on him after spending four months in the cell. IOM officials effect his return to Nigeria.