A 22-year-old Nigerian lady attempting to migrate to Europe through the Sahara Desert has recounted how she managed to survive for 10 days.
The International Organisation for Migration said Adaora was the only female among the survivors of a rescue mission on May 28.
“She left Nigeria in early April, hoping for better future in Europe. There were 50 migrants on the pick-up van when it left Agadez for Libya, but only six are still alive today,” Niger Chief of Mission for IOM, Giuseppe Loprete, explained.
Adaora, who had left Nigeria with two female friends – both dead – said “We were in the desert for 10 days. After five days, the driver abandoned us.
“He left with all of our belongings, saying he was going to pick us up in a couple of hours, but he never did”.
During the next two days, 44 of the migrants died, a situation that persuaded the six survivors to start walking to look for help.
Adaora added: “They were too weak to keep going. We buried a few, but there were just too many to be buried and we didn’t have the strength to do it.
“We had to drink our own pee to survive. I couldn’t walk anymore. I wanted to give up”.
Two other migrants carried her until a truck driver picked them up and took them to local authorities who then alerted IOM staff in Dirkou in the Agadez Region of north-eastern Niger.
By the time the six survivors reached IOM’s transit centre in Dirkou, Adaora was unconscious.
Two of the other migrants from the group went back with IOM staff and the authorities to find the bodies and identify the victims.
After receiving medical assistance at IOM’s transit centres in both Dirkou and Agadez, Adaora is currently recovering at IOM’s transit centre for migrants in Niamey, awaiting her return to Nigeria.
She regretted embarking on the journey and said she wants to continue her work as a nurse when back in Nigeria.
