Nollywood Actress’ Daughter Recounts Harrowing Ordeal of Being Trafficked and Sold Into Prostitution in Mali

Nollywood veteran, Jumoke George, (L), and her daughter, Adeola Omotoso, (R)

Adeola Omotoso, daughter of veteran Nollywood actress Jumoke George, has revealed the traumatic experience of being trafficked and forced into prostitution in Mali after being deceived with a fake job offer.

Adeola recounted that her ordeal began when she met a woman who claimed to have a job opportunity for her in Mali. The woman told her about a pharmacy job and encouraged her to travel. Believing she was pursuing honest work, Adeola set out on a four-day journey by road through Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, and eventually arrived in Bamako, Mali—without informing her family.

Upon reaching Bamako, Adeola called a contact number she had been given. A woman met her and took her to her house, where she was told she had been “bought” and must now work as a prostitute to repay 1.5 million CFA francs.

“I was shocked and confused,” Adeola recalled. “She said she bought me from my sister and that I now belong to her. I told her I couldn’t do it and would rather die. She threatened me and seized my phone and travel documents.”

Adeola, the daughter of veteran actress Jumoke George flanked by the NiDCOM chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, actress Jumoke and Adeniyi Johnson after returning from Mali on Monday

Despite her resistance, Adeola was taken to a brothel. However, a sympathetic man listened to her story and helped her find work as a food vendor, giving her a chance to escape the clutches of forced prostitution. Even while working, Adeola remained emotionally burdened and deeply ashamed, unable to reach out to her family after being away for four years.

“I saw many Nigerians die from prostitution,” she said. “I wanted to raise some money to come back home, but I didn’t want to return empty-handed. I told my roommate not to post anything about me if I died.”

She added, “I don’t know how good my mum is before God that He saved me from all the evil that was coming for me.”

Adeola’s return to Nigeria and reunion with her mother marks the end of a harrowing chapter and highlights the growing crisis of human trafficking. Her story serves as a chilling reminder of how young women are lured into trafficking through promises of employment abroad.

Advocacy organizations are calling for stronger anti-trafficking measures, tighter border security, and widespread education to help prevent similar tragedies. Adeola’s courage in sharing her experience has reignited public discourse on the urgent need for government intervention and community awareness.