CAF’s Ruling Against Libya Triggers Mass Arrests of Nigerians Amidst Tensions
Following a controversial ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in response to a formal complaint from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Nigerian community in Libya now faces unexpected repercussions, with reports of mass arrests and fines targeting Nigerian nationals in the country. This fallout comes after CAF ruled in favor of Nigeria’s Super Eagles over alleged mistreatment at the hands of Libyan authorities.
The Super Eagles were held at Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours, an ordeal that prompted the NFF to withdraw from the scheduled Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and lodge an official complaint with CAF. After investigation, CAF’s disciplinary committee awarded Nigeria three points and three goals for the abandoned match and fined the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) $50,000 for violating key regulations.
Outraged by the decision, Libyan Football Federation President Nasser Al-Suwai’I called the ruling “unjust and malicious,” blaming NFF’s influence within CAF. He vowed to appeal and threatened to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The ruling, however, sparked a campaign against Nigerians in Libya, with popular Libyan outlets urging the government to impose heavy fines on Nigerian workers. Libya News Today 1, a social media platform, shared that “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers” and impose a $500 fine on those without proper documentation.
Arrests and Community Fear
A Nigerian resident in Tripoli, Adenaike Emmanuel, confirmed the arrests, saying they began on Sunday. “They have already started arresting people in his area,” Emmanuel said, explaining that Libyans felt justified in taking “revenge” on Nigerians. President of the Nigerian community in Libya, Peter Omoregbie, echoed these fears, saying that the arrests were indiscriminate. “They don’t even care whether you have passports or residence permits,” he reported.
The escalating crackdown has forced Nigerians to stay indoors, as some fear stepping out will lead to arrest. A Nigerian resident, Omo Oba Legba, took to social media to alert others, stating that even those with Libyan passports were not being spared.
Calls for Diplomacy and Intervention
In response, the Chairman of Libya’s National Institution for Human Rights, Ahmed Hamza, has warned against targeting Nigerian workers, highlighting the risk of legal consequences both domestically and internationally. Hamza noted that some media platforms were inciting hostilities against Nigerians and warned against retaliatory actions that could undermine human rights.
The Nigerian Embassy in Tripoli and Libya’s Embassy in Abuja have yet to provide official responses to the allegations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria acknowledged the situation, but further details are pending.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, emphasized the importance of gathering evidence and reporting Libya’s actions to the African Union, urging Nigerians to remain cautious and, if possible, leave Libya until the situation stabilizes.