Days after the cancellation of the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Libya’s national team, members of the Nigerian community in Libya have lamented maltreatment in the country.
The Nigerian contingent was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival on Sunday, following their earlier 1-0 victory in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
The team was scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match was to be played.
However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot flying the plane reportedly received a directive from “Libya’s highest authorities” to divert the flight to Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination.
The development sparked widespread outrage, forcing the Nigerian Football Federation to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match.
The National Assembly condemned the Libyan government for subjecting the Nigerian team to dehumanising treatment and called for stiff penalties for the Libyan authorities.
The Libyan government had claimed that its national team faced similar maltreatment on Nigerian soil before the first leg of the game.
In separate interviews with Saturday PUNCH, members of the Nigerian community in Libya said there had been increased maltreatment of Nigerians after the incident.
Adenaike Emmanuel, a Nigerian living in Tripoli, the country’s capital, said, “For those of us who have been in the country, we know them. Libyans always one you to feel pain. They said what happened to their players in Nigeria was intentional, and they vowed to revenge. They called it ‘an eye for an eye.’ So, what the Libyan government did to the Super Eagles was intentional. Moreover, 95 per cent of their citizens supported it. We saw the reports on their blogs, Facebook posts, and news platforms. It was very clear that the people supported it. And that is how they behave.
“Since the game was cancelled, their maltreatment of Nigerians has not changed. They don’t like us; the inhuman treatment has worsened. That’s why many Nigerians here are battling depression.
“Libyans don’t value us. They just enter our houses, round people up, and take them to prison. Many Nigerians are currently languishing in prisons across Libya without having committed any offence. Most times, we complain to the Nigerian embassy, but nothing tangible happens.”
The International Organisation for Migration has facilitated the return of thousands of Nigerians from Libya in recent years.
In 2024 alone, no fewer than 2,467 Nigerians were evacuated from the North African country after being stranded. Many of the victims, particularly ladies, usually return with tales of abuse and maltreatment.
The president of the Nigerian community, Peter Omoregbie, said since the failed game with the Super Eagles, Libyans had continued with their harsh treatment of Nigerians in the country.
He said, “As foreigners in this country, there is a way they maltreat us. The Libyans act as if Nigerians don’t exist at all. Since the match was cancelled, the situation has not changed.”
Omoregbie said before the Super Eagles left Nigeria, the Libyans had already threatened to treat the team poorly upon arrival.
“The news had spread all over Libya before the Super Eagles left Nigeria. All the local Libyan news outlets reported it. Their blogs also widely shared the news. They claimed the NFF purposely made the Libyan national team players endure physical discomfort so they could be weak before the match and unable to either draw or win against the Nigerian team.
“The Libyans’ game plan for the two-leg matches was to draw with the Super Eagles in Nigeria then win at home. They saw the Nigerian game as their last hope for qualification. But their loss fuelled their resolve to seek revenge.
“So, before the Nigerian team arrived, it was common knowledge that the Libyan national team was maltreated in Nigeria, and they planned to make the Super Eagles experience the same treatment on Libyan soil,” Omoregbie added.
When asked if the incident would impact diplomatic relations between the two countries, he said, “Libya doesn’t always fulfill its diplomatic obligations to other countries. I’m telling you the truth. For instance, if you leave this country, there is no way they will allow you to return. That has been the ordeal we face here.”
Similarly, a former Secretary of the Nigerian community in Libya, Mr Ukpong Christian, noted that it had been difficult for Nigerians to integrate into Libyan society because the country was not friendly.
“Before the Nigerian team landed, the Libyans had already made plans, spreading it across blogs, news platforms, and Facebook pages, saying that because their national team was treated badly in Nigeria, the Nigerian team would experience worse when they came. So, it was a concerted and intentional effort. And since the game was cancelled, Nigerians have continued to receive the usual inhuman treatment from their Libyan masters,” he lamented.
Efforts by our correspondent to speak to the Libyan embassy in Abuja proved abortive.
A representative of the embassy, identified by TrueCaller as Rose, declined comment, saying she was not authorised to speak on the matter.
She promised to get back to Saturday PUNCH, but was yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
Ex-envoys weigh in
Reacting to the issue, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, said diplomacy is based on bilateral relationships and mutual respect between countries.
“I bow to you because you bow to me. Diplomatic relationships between two countries are based on reciprocal action,” he stated.
Farounbi noted that what happened between Libya and Nigeria was not only an affront to bilateral relations but also a violation of multilateral relations between the African Union and the Confederation of African Football.
He explained that going to such extremes to win a psychological battle as a prelude to winning on the football field, was pathetic.
The ambassador added, “It shows the uncivilised and undiplomatic level to which Libya has sunk. On a bilateral level, it would be perfectly in order for Nigeria to reciprocate accordingly. It would not be unusual if the Libyan government’s behaviour impacts negatively the relationship between the two countries.
“At the multilateral level of CAF, it would be appropriate and indeed expected that Libya be sanctioned with a heavy fine or possibly, a suspension from CAF-organised competitions. The diplomatic misbehaviour could have been ameliorated if Libya had shown remorse and apologised.”
He stressed that Libya compounded the issue by distorting facts and manipulating the situation.
Also speaking, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, advised that the matter should not be allowed to escalate.
He said, “It can only become a diplomatic issue if it goes beyond the control of the Confederation of African Football.
“It was a CAF qualifier game. They should be able to weigh in and settle the issue. If either Nigeria or Libya is found guilty, they should be sanctioned. There’s no reason to let this matter escalate into a diplomatic dispute. We’re not a banana republic; CAF should provide a solution.”
CAF’s involvement
Meanwhile, CAF has set a deadline for Libya and Nigeria to submit reports on the dispute.
The Secretary-General of the Libyan Football Federation, Nasser Al-Suwaie, confirmed the October 20 deadline in a statement.
He mentioned that the LFF had appointed a lawyer to gather evidence and raised concerns about possible collusion between some parties within CAF.
Al-Suwaie also clarified that the LFF had no role in diverting the plane to Al-Abraq Airport, explaining that the decision was made by the Libyan state, which he said must be respected.
A sports analyst, Godwin Enakhena, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, emphasised the need for patience as CAF works through the case.
He said, “They have set a department to work on this case. So, I think we should just wait for CAF’s verdict before jumping to conclusions.
“However, as a Nigerian, I think the rules are very clear when you are hosting a team. The hosts are supposed to ensure that everything is sorted, but the Libyans did not do all of this. I think there will be a fine for Libya, and after that, they will play the game on a neutral ground.”
A veteran sports presenter, Charles Anazodo, viewed the situation as a deliberate act by the Libyan side, orchestrated from the beginning of their visit to Nigeria.
“I think it was a deliberate act orchestrated right from when they came to Nigeria with the lies they spread about things that happened in Uyo or Port Harcourt. They orchestrated all that so they would have reason to do what they have done,” Anazodo told Saturday PUNCH.
Meanwhile, a former Super Eagles defender, Mobi Oparaku, believes that CAF will ultimately refrain from imposing sanctions on Nigeria regarding the cancellation of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.
While the decision from the disciplinary body is still pending, he is optimistic about the outcome and believes that Nigeria’s historical reputation as a gracious host to visiting teams will play a significant role in the deliberations.