Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures safety of citizens in Libya amid rising tensions over CAF ruling

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured citizens of their safety in Libya, following concerns raised by Libyan media calling for punitive measures against Nigerian workers in the country, Soccernet.ng reports.

This reaction comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Board’s recent ruling that sanctioned the Libya Football Federation (LFF) for security failures during Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 qualifying match visit.

In a statement released on Sunday evening, the Ministry clarified, “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, following the verdict of the Confederation of African Football, which indicted the Libyan Football Association for their ill-treatment of the Nigerian team and officials while in Libya for a Nations Cup qualifying match.”

The Ministry also reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Nigerians abroad.

“The well-being of Nigerian citizens anywhere in the world is a top priority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and [we] will continue to strive to safeguard it at all times.”

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The CAF ruling on October 26 penalised the LFF with a USD 50,000 fine and awarded a 3-0 forfeit victory to Nigeria due to prolonged delays and logistical failures faced by the Super Eagles at Al Abraq Airport.

The disciplinary board, chaired by Ousmane Kane, found Libya in breach of Articles 31, 82, and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code, citing their inability to provide adequate security and logistical support.

This decision provided Nigeria with three crucial points, boosting their AFCON 2025 qualification campaign and placing them at the top of Group A.

In response to the ruling, Libyan media platforms such as Libya News Today 1 and Libya INF.TV voiced backlash, urging authorities to penalise Nigerian workers in Libya, particularly those without documentation.

Posts circulating on social media have called for the arrest and imposition of fines on undocumented Nigerian workers, with some arguing that the funds could offset the fine levied on Libya by CAF.

Despite the rhetoric in the Libyan media, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reassured Nigerians in Libya and the general public that the situation remains calm, with no incidents reported at this time.