By Joy Onu
Former Senator Shehu Sani has used his latest book, The Perilous Path to Europe, to issue a strong warning to African leaders and young people about the dangers of irregular migration, describing the trend as tragic, deceptive, and destructive to the dignity of African youth.
Speaking in an interview with Liberal News after the book presentation, Sani said the book was deliberately written as a social intervention to discourage young people from risking their lives on dangerous journeys to Europe. He questioned the logic of youths selling family property and raising between $20,000 and $30,000 for travel, only to end up trapped in degrading conditions abroad.
According to him, many migrants ultimately become victims of exploitation rather than achieving the success they were promised.
“This book is sending a strong message to our leaders in Africa; they need to wake up to this reality,” Sani said. “What do you gain by selling your father’s property, raising huge sums of money, and going to Europe only to end up being exploited? That is the tragedy we are trying to stop.”
He explained that The Perilous Path to Europe is not just a literary work but a tool for advocacy and awareness, designed to confront young people with the harsh realities of irregular migration. The book exposes the emotional, economic, and human costs of unsafe migration while encouraging Africans to seek dignity and opportunity within their own societies.
As part of the outreach strategy, Sani revealed that the message of the book will be taken beyond Abuja to states such as Niger and Sokoto, as well as parts of the North-East, where poverty, insecurity, and hopelessness continue to push young people toward dangerous migration routes.
He stressed that irregular migration is closely linked to insecurity and broader governance failures. According to him, when young people lose hope in their country’s future, they become vulnerable to traffickers and false promises of a better life abroad. The book therefore calls on both government and society to confront the root causes behind migration, including insecurity, unemployment, and corruption.
Sani emphasized that The Perilous Path to Europe is a powerful call for reflection, responsibility, and urgent reform. He urged leaders to address the conditions pushing young people away and encouraged youths to resist the illusion that salvation lies abroad, warning that many who embark on irregular migration journeys end up losing their dignity, freedom, or even their lives.
The Perilous Path to Europe was written and co-launched alongside The Councillor and the stage play The Village and the Vigilante on Thursday, January 15, 2026, by former Senator Shehu Sani.
