Following the decision delivered by the Confederation of African Soccer in response to the grievance lodged by the Nigeria Soccer Federation over the current inhumane remedy meted out to the Tremendous Eagles in Libya, members of the Nigerian group have reported mass arrests and fines within the nation.
The Nigerian soccer crew was held on the Al-Abraq Airport in jap Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival for the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Tremendous Eagles and Libya’s nationwide crew.
The contingent was scheduled to land on the Benghazi Airport and journey for practically 4 hours by highway to Benina, the place the match was to be performed.
Nevertheless, lower than an hour earlier than touchdown, the Tunisian pilot reportedly obtained a directive from Libyan authorities to divert the flight to the Al-Abraq Airport, positioned 150 miles away from the vacation spot.
The event sparked widespread outrage, forcing the NFF to withdraw the Tremendous Eagles from the qualifying match and file an official grievance to CAF.
In its ruling on Saturday, October 26, signed by its Chairman, Ousmane Kane, the disciplinary committee of the African soccer physique awarded the Tremendous Eagles of Nigeria three factors and three targets for the deserted match.
The disciplinary board dominated that the Libyan Soccer Federation breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Laws and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The panel additionally ordered the LFF to pay a wonderful of $50,000 inside 60 days of the notification of the choice.
Displeased with the decision, the LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I described it as “unjust and malicious,” alleging that the NFF’s affect inside CAF performed a significant function within the final result.
A report on Monday by a Libyan outlet, Libyan Observer, quoted Al-Suwai’I saying the LFF would file an official attraction inside hours and that if the attraction was denied, the physique would resort to the Courtroom of Arbitration for Sport to make sure “their reliable rights are secured.”
Marketing campaign towards Nigerians
Following the CAF ruling, a preferred Libyan information weblog, Libya Information Right now 1, posted on Sunday, stating, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the federal government to arrest the Nigerian employees who’re working right here in Libya with out authorized papers. They need to pay $500 plus taxes.
“The wonderful that Libya is accused of can be paid by Nigerian residents who dwell in Libya. We have now been subjected to injustice. We have now no borders with Nigeria. What profit are they to us? They’re a burden on the Libyan folks. They’ve to return residence.”
The weblog has greater than 188,000 followers on Fb and 57,000 likes.
The publish was accompanied by a video of a Libyan TV presenter, who mentioned, “Anybody who resides in Libya and dealing with out paying tax is consuming haram, which suggests sinful cash. The federal government ought to make each effort to arrest all Nigerians who’re working in Libya in order that they’ll pay a tax of $500 and regulate their keep within the nation by acquiring residence permits.”
One other Libyan web site, Libya INF.TV, reported that Libyan stations needed the federal government to start out arresting Nigerian employees.
“Those that don’t have Libyan papers must pay a wonderful of $500 for taxes. Should you refuse deportation, no mercy. The Libyan authorities can pay the Nigerian authorities from their residents’ cash,” the publish mentioned.
Mass arrests
Talking with Sunday PUNCH, a Nigerian residing in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, Adenaike Emmanuel, mentioned the arrests started on Sunday after the CAF assertion was launched within the nation.
“They’ve already began. The information got here out on Saturday, they usually have been saying they’ll’t settle for it and that they don’t seem to be those who can pay the cash. They’ve began proving this.
“Somebody known as me and mentioned that they had already begun arresting folks in his space. The identical factor is occurring right here in Tripoli. In some locations, folks have been arrested on Sunday morning and afternoon. As I discussed earlier than, Libyans don’t conceal their emotions. They consider that by doing this, they’re getting their revenge,” Adenaike acknowledged.
The President of the Nigerian group in Libya, Peter Omoregbie, additionally confirmed the arrests in a video shared by a number of Libya-based Nigerian blogs throughout the week.
Omoregbie, who confirmed this whereas making an official report on the Libyan immigration workplace on Monday, mentioned, “The arrests began on Sunday night time in some areas in Tedora. They’re arresting harmless folks. They don’t even care whether or not you’ve passports or residence permits. They only don’t care, which doesn’t occur in different international locations.”
When requested to supply background to the incident, he mentioned, “The soccer physique is an affiliation by itself, which the federal government isn’t alleged to intrude with in keeping with CAF legal guidelines. There was a soccer match scheduled between Nigeria and Libya on October 15. Nigeria was alleged to arrive in Benghazi, however they have been diverted to a different state, so the match couldn’t happen. The Nigerian soccer crew then returned residence. Since then, CAF has investigated the problem and arrange a committee to seek out out what actually occurred.
“Yesterday, the decision was issued that Libya has to pay a wonderful of $50,000 to CAF as a result of manner they handled the Nigerian soccer crew. Now, on social media, Libyan journalists and quite a few bloggers are saying that Nigeria can be made to pay the $50,000 wonderful by arresting all Nigerians in Libya. However in different international locations, nothing like that occurs.
“Because the group chief, I obtained some movies displaying that the arrests began final night time within the Tedora space. They mentioned the Libyan police have began arresting Nigerians, whether or not they have passports or not. A few of us are already afraid, calling all over the place to ask what to do. Typically, as group leaders, we’re helpless. Even the Nigerian Embassy’s fingers are typically tied. However worldwide our bodies must intervene on this scenario.”
Two days after Omoregbie’s report, one other Nigerian within the nation, Omo Oba Legba, mentioned the arrests had intensified.
In a Fb video posted on Wednesday, he mentioned, “My Arab grasp, who’s a policeman, simply known as me now and instructed me to not exit to purchase something as a result of they’ve began arresting Nigerians in Libya. I requested him, ‘What about these with Libyan passports?’ However he mentioned they aren’t contemplating passports and that anybody who’s Nigerian can be arrested. That’s why I made a decision to alert our folks so that they understand how far this situation has gone.
“The Tremendous Eagles had what they wanted to and returned. They acquired their cash, whether or not they gained or not. However see the issue they’ve triggered for us. If Nigeria was good, we wouldn’t have come to Libya to undergo. The Nigerian crew solely confronted a day of hardship—what about different Nigerians right here who face the identical remedy each day? My Arab instructed me that till the CAF wonderful is overturned, they gained’t cease arresting Nigerians. Please, we attraction to the Nigerian authorities to come back to our help.”
Equally, Libya INF.TV posted a video on Thursday the place a Nigerian pleaded with the Libyan police to cease the indiscriminate arrests.
He mentioned, “Soccer has nothing to do with us. If you wish to catch them, catch them once they come right here. Go away us out of this. And to the Nigerian crew, I don’t know what you’re considering, coming right here to play soccer with the Libyan folks. You don’t have sense. Please, Libyan police, please.”
Libyan rights establishment warns safety brokers
In the meantime, the Chairman of the Nationwide Establishment for Human Rights in Libya, Ahmed Hamza, has warned towards retaliatory acts concentrating on Nigerian employees within the nation within the aftermath of the CAF ruling.
In line with Libya Evaluation, Hamza famous that some media platforms have been inciting hostility in direction of foreigners by portraying them as unlawful or irregular residents.
“We warn towards any type of retaliation towards international and migrant employees in Libya, particularly Nigerian employees, by safety forces, armed teams, or residents,” Hamza acknowledged.
He cautioned that illegal actions towards foreigners may result in repercussions in home and even worldwide justice.
When Sunday PUNCH contacted the Libyan Embassy in Abuja for feedback, a girl who recognized herself merely as Rose mentioned she was not authorised to speak.
She mentioned, “As you may see, I’m not the media secretary. No matter info you want, kindly put it into writing and ship it to the embassy. Then, they may reply to it. Tackle the letter to the ambassador of the Libyan embassy.”
Our correspondent wrote a letter of inquiry to the embassy as requested. Nevertheless, 48 hours later, there was no response.
A request for info from the Nigerian Embassy in Tripoli was additionally not replied to as of press time.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Overseas Affairs, Eche Abu-Obe, merely mentioned, “I’ve despatched a message to the Director Africa.”
The Nigerians in Diaspora Fee had but to answer calls and a textual content message from Sunday PUNCH as of the time of submitting this report.
Ex-envoy urges probe
A former Nigerian ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, mentioned the Federal Authorities ought to examine the retaliatory arrests and report Libya to the African Union.
He mentioned, “The Nigerian authorities doesn’t have hardcore proof, and in the event that they do, they need to report Libya to the African Union. If Nigerians collate proof of the maltreatment, the Federal Authorities can protest on to the Libyan authorities over what Nigerians are dealing with.”
Amedu-Ode additional suggested Nigerians within the Arab nation to maintain low profiles till the scenario was beneath management.
“If the environment is simply too scorching for them, they need to go away Libya,” he added.
