What to Do If You Escape Human Traffickers in Dubai and Your Passport Has Been Seized

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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