By Sunday Elijah
Nigerian government has refuted allegations of mass arrests and ill-treatment of its citizens in Libya following a recent Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruling.
This CAF ruling awarded the Super Eagles three points and levied a $50,000 fine on Libya due to the alleged mistreatment of the Nigerian team during their 2025 AFCON qualifier in Libya.
A national daily reported that the Nigerian community in Libya faced a wave of mass arrests and fines as a form of retaliation for the CAF decision.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesman Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, has strongly denied these claims, stating that Nigerians in Libya are conducting their daily activities without harassment.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to convey that as of the time of making this statement, Nigerians in Libya are going about their daily activities, devoid of any form of harassment by Libyan authorities,” Abu-Obe stated.
He emphasized that ensuring the safety and well-being of Nigerian citizens worldwide remains a top priority for the Federal Government.
This situation arises after the Super Eagles experienced a harrowing delay of over 20 hours at Al-Abraq Airport before their scheduled AFCON qualifier against Libya.
The delay led to the match’s cancellation and Nigeria’s withdrawal. Subsequently, CAF’s disciplinary committee penalized the Libyan Football Federation for regulatory breaches.
Despite these assurances, there are conflicting reports from various sources. While the Nigerian authorities maintain that no Nigerians have been subjected to undue treatment, social media posts and local reports in Libya suggest increasing tension and calls for stricter measures against Nigerians.
As this story develops, the Nigerian government said it will continue to monitor the situation closely, urging citizens to report any incidents of harassment to the appropriate authorities.
