THE NIGERIAN Senate has urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to probe the ill-treatment meted to the Super Eagles players and officials by Libyan authorities in the 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya.
This is sequel to a Point of Order raised by Sen. Sumaila Kawu (NNPP-Kano) at Tuesday’s plenary in a motion titled: “Ill-Treatment of the Libyan Authorities and Football Federation at the Al-Abraq Airport, Libya”
The Senate called on the federal government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to bring the issue to the attention of the Libyan government, urging it to exercise restraint because the action has negative diplomatic consequences.
The Senate equally condemned in its entirety the action of the Libyan authorities for the unwarranted hostilities and unfair treatment meted to the Super Eagles, as it also commended the Ministry of Sports and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for their prompt response and action by facilitating the safe return of the players, as they were no longer in the right frame of mind to go ahead with the scheduled match.
Moving the motion, Kawu, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Sports, noted with dismay the ill-treatment meted out to a contingent of the Nigerian Super Eagles in Libya on Sunday, October 13.
He said that the ignoble act was reminiscent of “clandestine conspiracy and antic, intentionally orchestrated to frustrate visiting team in order to weaken their morale and dampen their spirits to the advantage of host country.
“The Embassy of Nigeria in Tripoli made arrangements with the authorities in Benghazi to welcome the Nigerian delegation, prior to their arrival, but their application was allegedly and outrightly rejected as the authorities had already concluded the premeditation to frustrate our team ahead of the scheduled match.”
In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary, said that what happened to the Super Eagles in Libya was not in tandem with the spirit of sportsmanship.
“The essence of sports is to promote unity and competition and enhance brotherhood among the countries on the continent. The way our players were treated is terrible and condemnable.
“We think this is a mistake that the Libyan authorities should be given a chance to correct and apologise to the Nigerian government.
“Nigeria is a big country in Africa. We always lead in terms of diplomacy, friendship and everything.
“We call on the ambassador and other concerned authorities to come out and apologise for what they did to our national team”.
CAF investigates
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) says it has launched an investigation into the “disturbing” treatment of the Super Eagles at the Al Abraq airport in Libya.
The continental football governing body in an official statement on Monday said it had been in contact with both Libyan and Nigerian authorities to address the issue.
CAF said it had referred the matter to its Disciplinary Board for investigation and promised to take action against those responsible for violating its statutes and regulations.
“CAF has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it was informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (Super Eagles) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport where they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities.
“The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations,” CAF said in the statement.
Sports Minister reacts
Reacting to the situation, the Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Owan Enoh, strongly condemned the “obnoxious” treatment of the Super Eagles and said he had escalated the matter and involved all relevant authorities such as the Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the Director General of Nigeria Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed, and CAF.
FG engages Libya’s Chargé D’Affaires
Following the incident, the federal government on Monday summoned the Libyan Chargé d’Affaires over the maltreatment of the Super Eagles at Al-Abraq International Airport, Libya.
Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said this while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Tuggar said he was in torch with Ibrahim Gusau, the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and the Libyan Chargé d’Affaires in Nigeria to find a way to resolve the impasse.
“Since last night, we’ve been on the phone with the chargé d’affaires because Libya doesn’t have an ambassador here.
“So, we’re in touch with the chargé d’affaires, and I’m heading back to the ministry now, where we have summoned the chargé d’affaires, the Libyan chargé d’affaires.
“This issue has to be resolved as quickly as possible. So, we’re on top of the situation,” he said.
Tuggar also said staff of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Nigerian Mission in Libya had been detailed to represent the nation on the matter.
He added the that the managers of the Nigerian team had decided to refuel the chartered ValueJet aircraft at the Al-Abraq Airport and return to Nigeria.
He said the decision to return to Nigeria without honouring the match was due to the hostile reception given the team by the Libya Football Federation, a situation he said was unacceptable.
Tuggar decried the ill treatment of the Nigerian delegates, saying that the federal government would not allow the team to proceed with the game.
“As you know, the Libyan team was here they were supposed to land in Uyo, instead they landed in Port Harcourt. And now our team has gone to Libya, and somehow the plane gets diverted to a different airport.
“And unfortunately, at that airport, there is no aviation fuel, because what we have decided is they need to refuel and get out; we will not be able to allow them to continue.
“Suffice it to say that we have established contact with them. We’ve sent people from the mission to go there, representing the mission,” said the minister.
Troost-Ekong’s reaction
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong reacted to the ill-treatment meted on the team by Libyan Airport authorities ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Benina, stating via his X handle that the team were stranded at an abandoned airport in Libya for over 12 hours.
“12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. Libya government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.
“They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.
“I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour. Even the Tunisian Pilot who thankfully managed to navigate the last minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something like this before”.
“At this point we have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us. As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will NOT play this game. CAF should look at the report and what is happening here. Even if they decide to allow it.”
“This kind of behaviour, let them have the points. We will not accept to travel anywhere by road here even with security it’s not safe. We can only imagine what the hotel or food would be like given to us IF we continued”.
“We respect ourselves and respect our opponents when they are our guests in Nigeria. Mistakes happen, but these things on purpose have nothing to do with international football,” he said.
Nigeria were billed to face Libya on Tuesday from 8 p.m. in Benina, a journey of about four hours by road from the Al-Abaq Airport. (NAN)
