Mass Arrest of Nigerians in Libya Following CAF Ruling

In response to the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) recent ruling against the Libyan Football Federation (LFF), Libyan authorities have reportedly begun mass arrests of Nigerians across the country. This development has left many Nigerians, particularly those in the capital, Tripoli, fearful and uncertain.

The Nigerian community in Libya reports that arrests and fines targeting Nigerians began shortly after CAF’s verdict on October 26. CAF had awarded Nigeria’s Super Eagles three points and three goals for the abandoned match against Libya’s national team, following a 20-hour delay the Nigerian team faced upon arrival at the Al-Abraq Airport. The Libyan authorities had diverted the Super Eagles’ flight from its intended destination, Benghazi Airport, disrupting the match preparations.

CAF ruled that Libya’s treatment of the Nigerian team breached several football regulations. In addition to awarding Nigeria the victory, CAF imposed a $50,000 fine on the Libyan Football Federation. The decision sparked backlash in Libya, with some officials and media outlets blaming Nigerians in the country.

The LFF President, Nasser Al-Suwai’I, called CAF’s ruling “unjust and malicious,” suggesting that Nigeria’s influence within CAF led to an unfair decision. According to a report by the *Libyan Observer*, Al-Suwai’I expressed intentions to appeal and warned that Libya would take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if CAF denied the appeal.

Following the ruling, a popular Libyan news blog, Libya News Today 1, stirred controversy by calling for Nigerian workers without legal documentation to be fined and arrested. The blog, which has over 188,000 followers, posted, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers. They have to pay $500 plus taxes.” A video circulated alongside the post showed a Libyan TV presenter stating, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money. The government should make every effort to arrest all Nigerians who are working in Libya.”

Reports of targeted arrests began almost immediately. Adenaike Emmanuel, a Nigerian living in Tripoli, described the tense situation: “They have already started. The news came out on Saturday, and they were saying they can’t accept it and that they are not the ones who will pay the money. Someone called me and said they had already begun arresting people in his area. The same thing is happening here in Tripoli.”

Peter Omoregbie, President of the Nigerian community in Libya, confirmed these reports in a video message. He stated, “The arrests started on Sunday night in some areas in Tedora. They are arresting innocent people. They don’t even care whether you have passports or residence permits. They just don’t care, which doesn’t happen in other countries.” Omoregbie expressed frustration over the situation, highlighting that the CAF ruling and the government should not lead to retaliation against ordinary Nigerians.

In another account, a Nigerian resident, Omo Oba Legba, warned Nigerians in a Facebook video about the rising dangers. “My Arab master, who is a policeman, just called me now and told me not to go out to buy anything because they have started arresting Nigerians in Libya,” he said. Legba questioned why Nigerians were being targeted over a football incident, adding, “The Super Eagles had what they needed to and returned. They got their money, whether they won or not. But see the problem they’ve caused for us.”

The arrests have drawn criticism from human rights advocates in Libya. Ahmed Hamza, Chairman of Libya’s National Institution for Human Rights, cautioned security agents against retaliating against migrant workers. “We warn against any form of retaliation against foreign and migrant workers in Libya, especially Nigerian workers, by security forces, armed groups, or citizens,” Hamza said, warning that unlawful actions could have serious consequences.

Despite these warnings, the arrests appear to be continuing. Efforts to seek clarification from the Libyan Embassy in Nigeria and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya have so far yielded no responses. Eche Abu-Obe, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acknowledged the situation but indicated that further responses were pending.

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, called for a thorough investigation. He advised the Federal Government to gather evidence of maltreatment against Nigerians in Libya and bring the matter to the African Union. “If Nigerians collate evidence of the maltreatment, the Federal Government can protest directly to the Libyan government over what Nigerians are facing,” Amedu-Ode said, urging Nigerians in Libya to “keep low profiles until the situation is under control.”

The mass arrests have stirred deep concerns among the Nigerian community in Libya, as many face mounting risks despite valid residence permits or passports. Calls for international intervention and support from Nigerian authorities are growing louder, as ordinary Nigerians in Libya seek reassurance and protection from escalating hostilities.