If you have escaped from traffickers in Dubai but your passport has been taken, you still have options to get help, protection, and safe repatriation.
1️⃣ Seek Immediate Protection – Go to the Nearest Police Station 🚔
- The UAE has strict anti-human trafficking laws, and Dubai Police actively rescue victims.
- Find the nearest police station and explain that you are a human trafficking victim.
- If possible, ask for assistance from the Human Rights Department at Dubai Police:
📞 Dubai Police Emergency: ☎️ 999
📞 Human Rights Department: ☎️ +971 4 608 2347
💡 What to Say to Police:
- Tell them you are a human trafficking victim.
- Explain that your passport was taken and you were forced into work against your will.
- If you don’t speak Arabic, ask for an English translator (Dubai police often have interpreters).
2️⃣ Contact the Nigerian Embassy in UAE 🇳🇬
- The Nigerian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Nigerian Consulate in Dubai assist trafficked Nigerians.
- They can help you get a temporary travel document to return home.
📍 Nigerian Embassy in Abu Dhabi:
📞 +971 2 444 5724
📧 nigeria.abudhabi@foreignaffairs.gov.ng
📍 Nigerian Consulate in Dubai:
📞 +971 4 349 3376
📧 nigeriandubaiconsular@yahoo.com
💡 What to Say to the Embassy:
- Explain that you are a trafficking victim.
- Provide details of your traffickers and how you escaped.
- Request an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) to return to Nigeria.
3️⃣ Seek Help from Human Trafficking Shelters & NGOs 🏠
Several organisations in Dubai help trafficked women:
✔ UAE National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT)
📞 +971 4 605 1533 (Call for help)
✔ Ewaa Shelter for Women and Children (Helps trafficking victims)
📞 800-7283 (UAE Only)
✔ International Organisation for Migration (IOM) – UAE Office
📞 +971 2 697 2736
📧 iomabudhabi@iom.int
✔ UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime)
📞 +971 4 453 7337
💡 These shelters can:
✅ Provide temporary housing and protection from traffickers.
✅ Assist with legal support and UAE residency issues.
✅ Help arrange safe return to Nigeria.
4️⃣ What If You Are a Nigerian Christian? Will the UAE Authorities Help?
✅ Yes! The UAE anti-trafficking laws protect all victims, regardless of nationality, religion, or immigration status.
✅ Dubai authorities do not discriminate based on religion—Christians, Muslims, or any other faith are treated the same under UAE human trafficking laws.
✅ Dubai has many Nigerian Christians, and the Nigerian community and churches can also help.
🚨 Important Note:
❌ DO NOT go to your trafficker’s contacts for help—they may try to recapture you.
❌ DO NOT work without documents—stay in a shelter or with the Nigerian Consulate until your papers are arranged.
5️⃣ Can You Be Deported Instead of Helped?
- If you report yourself as a trafficking victim, Dubai authorities WILL NOT punish you.
- UAE law protects victims, and they will help you return home safely.
- If you are afraid of being treated as an illegal migrant, tell the police that your passport was taken by traffickers—this is a key sign of trafficking.
6️⃣ Final Steps – How to Get Home Safely ✈️
✅ Stay in a shelter or embassy accommodation until your travel is arranged.
✅ Request an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) from the Nigerian Embassy.
✅ Do not return to traffickers or contacts linked to them—stay safe with police or NGOs.
✅ Once back in Nigeria, report traffickers to NAPTIP to help stop the network.
📍 NAPTIP Nigeria (National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons)
📞 0703 000 0203 (Hotline)
📧 info@naptip.gov.ng
Conclusion – You Are Not Alone! Help is Available!
If you escape traffickers in Dubai, you can:
✔ Go to the police or shelters for protection.
✔ Contact the Nigerian Embassy for emergency travel documents.
✔ Stay safe until you can return to N
