The Nigerian government has refuted claims of widespread arrests and harassment of Nigerians residing in Libya, following recent sanctions by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) against the Libyan national team.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that Nigerians in Libya are safe, emphasizing the government’s dedication to their protection. “Nigerians in Libya continue with their daily lives without any harassment from Libyan authorities,” the ministry noted, addressing concerns after the CAF ruling, which penalized the Libyan Football Federation for allegedly mistreating the Nigerian team in Benghazi during an African Cup of Nations qualifier.
CAF had awarded Nigeria a 3-0 win and imposed a $50,000 fine on Libya for the incident. Following this decision, unverified reports emerged claiming harassment of Nigerians in Libya, with some suggesting a tax on Nigerians to cover the CAF fine. Additionally, some Nigerians in Libya reported cases of alleged arbitrary detention, sparking concerns.
