Olubunmi Fadogba was at work in April 2023 when he first received a call from Joseph Nwafor, an old-time friend and a junior colleague, about a job opportunity in Port Novo, the capital of Benin Republic, Nigeria’s West African neighbour.

Adesola Fadogba, his daughter, told FIJ that her father got home that night and was excited to share the news of a promising job offer with her and her late mother, Christiana Fadogba.

“My Dad came home that night and said Nwafor called him for a job opportunity in Port Novo and he was seeking to take it,” Adesola told FIJ.

“When he told us about the offer, I wasn’t too convinced he should take it but my mother didn’t think it was a bad idea. She sought prayers and counsel with pastors who said he could go.”

This single call from Nwafor was all it took for Olubunmi to sell his car, pay over N700,000 to secure a fake job slot, lose his wife and then end up in detention in another country.

CAUGHT IN A HUMAN TRAFFICKING WEB

Soon after receiving this call from Nwafor and indicating interest in the job offer that promised him a role as the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Olubunmi told FIJ he was invited by Sogea-Satom Group of Companies, an engineering and construction firm, for an interview in Porto-Novo, which he honoured.

“I decided to take the offer the same month I learnt about it. Shortly afterwards, I was sent an interview letter and I travelled to Porto-Novo to honour it,” Olubunmi told FIJ in July.

“However, when I arrived at the venue, I saw the building of the supposed company and it looked suspicious, so I had to ask if it was a school or something close to it.

“But the people who took me there said the building was a temporary office and they were renovating the main one.”

Olubunmi said after the interview, he was offered the job with a monthly pay of over N400,000. He said this made him happy and he quickly returned to Nigeria to resign from his job of 11 years.

“The offer letter they gave me after the interview stated that I’d now become the new CSO but I should pay N755,000 to secure my offer,” he explained.

“I happily returned to Nigeria to resign from my job, also as a security officer, and started to scramble for money. I sold my car for almost N1 million and my late wife also assisted in raising most of the money.”

Olubunmi said after selling his car and raising N755,000 to secure his slot, he returned to Benin Republic only to discover that there was no CSO job but a networking business with QNET, whose agents have been accused of luring Nigerians into other African countries on the promise of non-existent jobs, and then other Africans into Nigeria almost hinged on the facade.

“On May 8, I was quick to show up at the company to resume my CSO role, however, I was shocked when they introduced QNET to me instead, they said it’s a networking business,” Olubunmi said.

“However, when I resumed on May 8, I was expecting to resume work as a CSO but shockingly they introduced QNET to me, a networking business. Immediately, I rejected the offer and told them I needed my money. But they asked me to wait and that if they brought someone else I could do so (leave).

“I agreed to this term but while I was waiting in the country, on June 3, police officers came to the building where we were and arrested 68 of us. They took us to Parakou Police Station where we spent two days.

“From there, we were transferred to Cotonou, and our statements were taken. Out of the 68, they released 63 and kept the remaining five of us in detention. We didn’t know why this happened but from there we were taken to Porto-Novo Prison.”

LOST WIFE WHILE IN DETENTION

Olubunmi said one month after he arrived in prison, on July 13, he attended the first court session and then the second session on August 10, a third appearance followed on November 2, 2023, 29 days before his wife died.

“On December 2, I appeared before the court again and we were told that our offence attracts a jail term of one year, and they asked if we had anything to say,” Olubunmi told FIJ.

“I told them I had lost my wife two days earlier and I would appreciate it if they could grant me freedom so I could go and mourn her in Nigeria but they asked us to return to the court on December 6.

“We did and they said the new jail term was seven years and we appealed it. It is the appeal we are currently waiting for.”

“I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE MY DAD”

Adesola told FIJ that when her Dad was to relocate to Porto-Novo in 2023, she wasn’t exactly convinced about it but her late mother had prayed about it and also consulted pastors who said it was okay to do so.

“After we confirmed on May 8, 2023, that he had arrived in Benin Republic, he stopped being reachable. Though he told us that he would be undergoing training for three months,” Adesola said.

“He stopped being active on WhatsApp and we got worried only for him to later reach out with a colleague’s number. But then, he didn’t tell us what was wrong, he only kept saying he was fine despite our pesters for the details.

“Later, he opened up to us and said the Beninese Police arrested him alongside other people who were brought in for the networking job. Some were released but he is still being detained.”

Adesola stated that while Nwafor, who introduced her father to the job, was also arrested alongside him, he now walks free and works in Lagos.

She added that her father’s arrest has made life difficult for her, as she constantly thinks about him and because her mother lost her life while waiting for him.

“I can’t wait to see my dad, he is the only parent I have. My mum lost her life in the midst of this trouble and I can’t afford to lose him, too,” Adesola said on Tuesday.

FIJ first sent an email in English to the Benin Republic Ministry of Justice and the Benin Republic Police, and copied the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on July 31, seeking a response to Olubunmi’s arrest, but received no reply.

The same email was sent to all parties on August 8 but, as of press time, there was still no response.