Beyond the Sahara: Fisayo’s Harrowing Reality of the Journey to Libya
By Fatima Boyi Mahuta & Abdulsalam Saheed Olarewaju
Every year, thousands of young Africans—from Nigeria, Ghana, Niger, Somalia, Eritrea and beyond—gamble their lives on the promise of a better future across the Mediterranean. They pack their belongings, abandon their homes and sometimes disappear without informing their families. Their destination is the Sahara Desert, Libya, and ultimately Europe, especially Italy. But what truly happens on these lawless routes?
Nigerian investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo decided to find out firsthand. He spent 47 days embedding himself among African migrants to document the brutal realities of irregular migration. In his video series outlining 10 reasons why you should not travel to Libya, he dismantles the myths spread on social media. With the first five reasons now released, here is what they reveal.
Slavery in the Desert
Fisayo shows how migrants are treated as slaves. Traffickers display a total disregard for human life. They cram 13 people into the boot of a regular SUV, treating human beings like cargo. Migrants endure scorching temperatures above 50°C, suffocating heat and unimaginable discomfort. The physical and psychological harm begins long before they ever see the Mediterranean.
The Deception of Connection-Men
Migrants rely heavily on “connection-men”—the middlemen who promise safe passage. But these men, whom Fisayo bluntly calls criminals, constantly split migrants into different groups, perhaps to prevent them from travelling with familiar faces. They pretend to care, answer calls and speak politely—until the script flips. Once migrants pass Agadez and enter Sabha, the connection-men vanish, along with their money. Migrants become stranded, penniless and alone.
The Risk of Abduction
Kidnapping is a constant threat. Migrants do not understand the Arabic spoken by their abductors, except for a few street phrases picked up along the way. At any moment, anyone can be kidnapped. Torture follows—sometimes for months—along with ransom demands that do not guarantee freedom. Victims can be sold to another kidnapper and begin a new cycle of suffering.
Fisayo himself was almost abducted. Despite his experience, planning and undercover skills, he narrowly escaped. His close call shows just how dangerous irregular migration truly is.
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The Horror of Rape
Perhaps the most heartbreaking revelation is the near certainty of sexual violence. Fisayo reports that 80–90% of female migrants are raped. If 100 women embark on the journey, only 10 or 20 may escape sexual assault.
One woman was raped repeatedly for three consecutive days by traffickers—and nothing was done. Even worse, the very security personnel meant to protect migrants load women into trucks and rape them. The system is not just broken; it is predatory.
Dehydration: The Silent Killer
In the fifth video, Fisayo explains a danger migrants often underestimate: dehydration. A person can survive one or two months without food, but only three days without water. In extreme desert temperatures, death can occur within hours.
Even when migrants have water, they may lose it while fleeing danger. Fisayo recounts drinking 75% of his water in less than three hours after their truck broke down. When they searched for more, they found only “hard and smelly” water. They slept in the open desert with nothing to drink.
A 17-year-old boy died beside them—his organs failing from dehydration.
The Devastating Disconnect
Fisayo’s investigation exposes the vast gap between migrants’ expectations and the brutal reality of the Sahara. Many believe the journey is easy, encouraged by misleading social media posts. Instead, they walk into a deadly trap.
The Value—and Danger—of the Investigation
Fisayo’s work offers priceless lessons. It provides firsthand information that can educate young Nigerians and other Africans about the true dangers of irregular migration. It gives governments, journalists and stakeholders evidence to counter the myth that the Sahara is a shortcut to greener pastures.
But the investigation was not without risk. Fisayo endured many of the same horrors migrants face. Traffickers believed he was one of them. Had they discovered his true identity, the consequences could have been fatal.
A Final Reflection
Nigeria is not where we want it to be. It may not be the best place to live. But as Fisayo notes, hopeless as the country may seem, there is still a tiny bit of hope. The question every migrant must ask is: At what cost should I risk my life for this?
May this investigation reach the right audience—and inspire the change desperately needed.
Fatima Boyi Mahuta and Abdulsalam Saheed Olarewaju are participants at the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship in Kano.
