Reported Raid at Libya Central Bank Raises Leadership Concerns

Libya’s central bank has reported that unidentified individuals raided its headquarters in Tripoli while Governor Naji Issa was away, adding to uncertainty surrounding a change in the institution’s leadership.

The bank said it held responsible “all parties that participated in this act”. It also singled out the defence ministry, which it said was tasked with protecting the headquarters. The identities of those involved and further details about the reported incident were not provided.

The government in Tripoli did not issue a comment on the report. There was also no final decision announced on who will lead the central bank.

Parliament accepts resignation in principle

The reported raid came after Libya’s parliament said it had accepted Issa’s resignation “in principle”. The legislature appointed Fauzi Abokhzam, a member of the central bank’s board, as interim governor while awaiting a final decision.

Issa first presented his resignation in August, but parliament had previously rejected it. The source report said more than two months had passed since he initially announced his decision to step down.

Issa was appointed central bank chief by parliament in 2024. His appointment followed a political standoff that halted oil production during a deep financial crisis.

Leadership dispute reflects wider division

Libya remains divided between a UN-recognised government based in Tripoli and a rival administration in eastern Libya backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. Parliament sits in Benghazi under Haftar’s control, and a new speaker took charge earlier this month.

The central bank’s leadership transition is therefore unfolding within a broader political split that has affected Libya since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The bank has not identified the people who reportedly entered its headquarters, and the available report does not independently verify the incident or explain the circumstances of Issa’s resignation.