The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) of the United Nations said the remains of about 100 migrants were discovered in two mass graves in Libya.

This came four months after Nigerians living in Libya got threats after a football match between the country and Nigeria nearly ended in a diplomatic row.

The IOM said on Monday that nineteen bodies were discovered in a mass grave in Jakharrah, 40 kilometres south of Benghazi while 30 remains were found in another mass grave in Al-Kufra desert in the southeastern part of the country. The global body said that the second grave could be holding as many as 70 bodies.

“The loss of these lives is yet another tragic reminder of the dangers faced by migrants embarking on perilous journeys,” Nicoletta Giordano, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Libya, said.

“Far too many migrants along these journeys endure severe exploitation, violence and abuse, underscoring the need to prioritize human rights and protect those at risk.”

The victims’ identities and nationalities were unknown at press time, but IOM’s claim that some of these dead bodies had gunshot wounds indicates many were murdered.

READ ALSO: 61 Migrants, Including Nigerians, Die in Libyan Coast Shipwreck

In 2024, of the 965 deaths and disappearances that occurred in Libya, more than 22% of them occurred on a land route, which also suggests deaths of migrants.

In 2024, after the Nigerian Super Eagles team was stranded at Al Abraq Airport for 16 hours, Nigerian migrants in Libya decried maltreatment from Libyans. The pilot who conveyed the players said he got the order from the ‘highest authority’.

The Libyan authorities appealed and claimed that their players suffered a similar fate in Nigeria before the first leg of the two-legged AFCON qualifiers.

Libya was later handed a 3-0 defeat to Nigeria and a $50,000 fine by the Confederation of African Football.

READ ALSO: CAF Awards Nigeria 3-0 Victory, Hands Libya $50,000 Fine for Violating Regulations

After this fiasco, videos emerged on social media of Libya-based Nigerians raising the alarm on intensified maltreatment from Libyans.

In an October report, some Nigerian victims shared their ordeals with The Punch after the incident.

Adenaike Emmanuel, a Nigerian who lived in Libya’s capital Tripoli, said that Libyans used to maltreat Nigerians before the AFCON game incident.

“For those of us who have been in the country, we know them. Libyans always want 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’,” Emmanuel said.

“So, what the Libyan government did to the Super Eagles was intentional. Moreover, 95% 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.”

In 2020, three Libyans killed a Nigerian migrant worker in Tripoli.

A similar report in 2022 also detailed how a man was arrested while trying to pass Libya to escape to Europe. In the same year, another Nigerian woman on her to way Kano also found herself trafficked to Libya. In 2023, another report detailed a detention centre in Libya where women died overnight.

READ ALSO: Nigerian Lady Cries for Help From Libyan Detention Centre Where Women Die Overnight

Libya is very close to Europe. Hence, many desperate migrants pass through the country under harsh conditions with hopes of ending up in Europe.

Libya is located in North Africa along the Mediterranean coastline. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, making it a key transit country for migrants and refugees trying to cross into Europe, particularly Italy and Malta.