Nigerian living in Libya are gripped with fear as warnings have spread through social media and migrant communities, leaving them uncertain about whether the October 1 date represents an official government directive or is being circulated by individuals and groups, reports Sahara Reporters
Tha report said several Nigerians living in different parts of Libya told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that tensions had increased in recent days, with some landlords allegedly asking them to vacate their apartments and Libyan employers and colleagues warning them to stay away from work amid fears of possible attacks and arrests.
The warnings have spread through social media and migrant communities, leaving Nigerians uncertain about whether the October 1 date represents an official government directive or is being circulated by individuals and groups.
One Nigerian worker was quoted saying his Libyan colleagues had specifically advised him not to report to work.
“My Libyan colleagues told me not to come to work tomorrow (Thursday). They told me that because of what is happening, I should stay where I am and not come out. They said I should be very careful,” the Nigerian said.
Another said his landlord had already asked tenants to look for alternative accommodation.
“Our landlord has already told us that we should start looking for another place. He said we should not wait until October 1 before moving out. That is why everybody is afraid now because we don’t know what will happen when the date comes,” the source said.
A Nigerian woman living in Libya said the warnings were directed at Africans generally, although Nigerians appeared to be frequently mentioned.
“It is not only Nigerians that are being talked about. They are talking about Africans generally, but Nigerians are being mentioned a lot. People are saying Nigerians are taking jobs that should belong to Libyans and that many Nigerians are here without proper papers,” she said.
She said many Nigerians had reduced their movements because of reports of arrests and growing hostility towards African migrants.
“People are scared to go outside. Some people are telling their friends not to go to work. If you have someone you know who is Libyan, they are calling on you and telling you to be careful. Everybody is watching what is happening because nobody knows who will be arrested next,” she said.
Another Nigerian resident said reports of police arrests of African migrants had heightened the anxiety.
“The arrests have started. We started hearing about Africans being picked up, and that is what is making everybody afraid. If you are an undocumented migrant, you don’t know what will happen to you if the police stop you,” the source said.
He said the fear extended beyond migrants without documentation.
“Even if you have documents, you are still afraid because you don’t know what these people are planning. We are hearing different things every day. Some people say leave immediately, some say don’t go to work, while others are saying October 1 is the deadline,” he said.
Another Nigerian said some acquaintances had already begun considering leaving their areas.
“People are telling us to run away from the place before things become worse. Some of the Libyans we work with are even the ones warning us. They are saying, ‘Don’t come tomorrow, stay at home.’ If your own colleague is telling you that, you have to take it seriously,” he said.
‘They Said Nigerians Are Taking Their Jobs’
The Nigerians said some of the hostility appeared linked to accusations that foreign migrants were taking jobs from Libyans.
According to them, Nigerians working in low-income and informal sectors had increasingly become the subject of complaints from some Libyans.
“They are saying Nigerians are taking their menial jobs. They are saying Nigerians are coming here and doing the work that Libyans are supposed to do,” one Nigerian said.
Another source said the presence of undocumented migrants was also being cited as a reason for arrests.
“Some Nigerians are illegal immigrants, and that is what they are using to justify the arrests. The problem is that now everybody is afraid. You cannot easily know whether the police are looking for people without papers or whether the situation will affect everybody,” he said.
The sources said the difficulty in distinguishing between verified security information and social media messages had added to the uncertainty.
A warning circulating widely on social media urges migrants and refugees in Libya to leave the country before October 1.
The message has been attributed in its circulation to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and urges migrants and refugees to take the developing situation seriously and avoid waiting until security conditions deteriorate further.
It specifically calls on migrants without valid documents, employment contracts or official permits issued by Libyan authorities to leave the country and seek safety in neighbouring countries.
However, Refugees in Libya, a migrant-led organisation monitoring developments involving migrants in the country, has raised concerns about the situation while cautioning that there was no publicly verifiable Libyan government decree establishing October 1 as a nationwide legal deadline for all foreigners to leave the country.
The absence of a publicly verified nationwide government order has not eased the concerns of Nigerians who said warnings from landlords, colleagues and people in their communities had made them fear for their safety.’
Some Nigerians also expressed frustration over what they described as the response of Nigerian diplomatic authorities.
According to the sources, Nigerians seeking information or assistance from the Nigerian Embassy were allegedly told that the embassy had limited options, particularly for migrants without valid immigration documents.
One source said the response increased their sense of vulnerability.
“Some people contacted the Nigerian Embassy because they wanted to know what they could do, but they were told there was nothing much they could do, especially for people who are here illegally. That is what is making people more afraid,” the Nigerian said.
Another source said Nigerians were relying largely on one another for information.
“Everybody is calling everybody now. People are asking, ‘Have you heard anything? Have they arrested anybody around your area? Is it safe to go to work?’ Nobody really knows what will happen tomorrow,” the source said.
The Nigerians said some landlords had already begun putting pressure on tenants to vacate their homes.
One Nigerian said the demands were creating additional financial difficulties for migrants who might have nowhere else to go.
“Imagine somebody telling you that you have to leave your house because of what is happening, and you don’t even know where you are going next. Some people have families here. Some have paid rent. Some don’t have enough money to travel. It is a very serious situation,” the source said.
A Nigerian woman said the uncertainty was particularly difficult for migrants who had lived and worked in Libya for years.
“Some people have been here for a long time. Libya is where they work and where they make their living. Now they are being told to leave. They don’t know whether to stay, whether to travel or whether it is just a social-media threat,” she said.
With October 1 approaching, some Nigerians said they were considering staying indoors after receiving warnings from Libyan colleagues and acquaintances not to report to work.
“They told us, ‘Don’t come to work tomorrow.’ They said we should stay at home until we know what is happening. When the people you work with are the ones giving you that warning, you cannot just ignore it,” one Nigerian said.
Another source said many Nigerians were reluctant to go outside amid the uncertainty.
“People are planning to stay inside. Nobody wants to be outside if something starts happening. We are just praying that nothing happens and that the government will do something to protect people,” the source said.
The reported arrests of African migrants have further heightened concerns, particularly among undocumented Nigerians.
“They have started arresting Africans. That is what we are hearing from different places. It started before now, and people are becoming very careful because they don’t want to be picked up by the police,” one source said.
Another Nigerian said migrants without papers were particularly vulnerable, but feared the broader anti-foreigner sentiment could affect others.
“The people without papers are the most afraid, but everybody is afraid because the anger is against foreigners generally. Nigerians are just one of the groups being targeted,” the source said.
‘We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Will Bring’
As October 1 approaches, Nigerians living in Libya said they remained uncertain about whether the warnings circulating online would translate into widespread arrests, attacks or forced displacement.
“We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We are just hearing different things from different people. The only thing we know is that people are afraid,” one Nigerian said.
Another Nigerian added: “If nothing happens, everybody will be happy. But if something happens, people will ask why they didn’t leave when they were warned. That is why some people are already thinking about leaving,” he said.
The uncertainty has left migrant communities relying heavily on informal networks for information and support.
For Nigerians without valid immigration documents, the situation is particularly concerning, as any police operation targeting undocumented migrants could expose them to detention or deportation.
