Fisayo Soyombo exposes dangers of Sahara migration route to Libya

Investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo has documented the perilous journey of migrants traveling from Nigeria through the Sahara Desert toward Libya and Europe. Following a 47-day undercover investigation for the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Soyombo detailed the extreme dangers and exploitation inherent in the trans-Saharan human trafficking pipeline.

The journey through the Sahara is marked by high mortality rates that often go unrecorded. Soyombo reported instances of mass casualties during treks on foot and fatal vehicle accidents in Niger, where survivors were often left without assistance.

Upon reaching Libya, migrants frequently face conditions described by Soyombo as worse than the economic hardships they sought to escape in Nigeria. Due to the criminalization of irregular migration, many travelers are unable to access formal banking, making them vulnerable to robbery. Many become trapped in Libya after exhausting their funds, forced into grueling agricultural labor in extreme desert heat, often without guaranteed payment, as they attempt to save money for further travel toward Europe.