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An 18-year-old Sierra Leonean woman, lured to Nigeria with promises of a Nollywood acting career, says she escaped a prostitution ring and was later denied repatriation funds by her country’s embassy, forcing her to seek help from a social media personality.
The case of Isha Francess Dumbuya has ignited outrage and concern across West Africa after she detailed her ordeal in a video interview with Nigerian influencer Martins Vincent Otse, known online as VeryDarkMan. The video has circulated widely, highlighting persistent human trafficking risks for young people seeking opportunities abroad.
Dumbuya recounted meeting a woman several times while selling cakes at a roadside stall in Freetown. The woman, a regular customer, allegedly offered her a secretive chance to become an actress in Nigeria, instructing her not to tell her family.
The journey began in April. Dumbuya said the woman transported approximately ten Sierra Leoneans through multiple countries, dropping some in Ghana and Mali. Only three, including Dumbuya, reportedly reached Nigeria.
Upon arrival, the promised acting job vanished. Dumbuya said she was pressured into prostitution. After refusing, she was ordered to repay the cost of her flight. She escaped, finding temporary shelter with a Muslim community in Asaba before traveling to Abuja to seek help from the Sierra Leonean Embassy.
According to Dumbuya, the embassy informed her no funds were available for her repatriation and offered no shelter.
Stranded, she searched online and located the office of VeryDarkMan. She arrived exhausted and desperate, carrying a handwritten address from Google Maps.
“He listened,” the background narrative describes. “He did not interrupt her. He did not dismiss her.” The influencer recorded her story, which quickly garnered millions of views. Beyond raising awareness, he provided her with a phone and pledged to assist in returning her to Sierra Leone.
