By Straightnews
The Super Eagles have arrived in Nigeria after their ordeal in Libyan for a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
The Super Eagles had arrived in Libya for the return leg of the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifiers after defeating the Libyan senior team 1-0 at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo in Akwa Ibom on Friday.
The team’s flight, which was initially bound for Benghazi, was diverted to Al Abraq International Airport, a remote location used for religious pilgrimages.
Upon landing, the players and staffers were left stranded at the airport without food, water or transportation for hours.
Related news: 2025 AFCON Qualifiers: Dele-Bashiru’s late goal cranes Super Eagles over Libya
The experience at the hands of the Libyan authorities prompted the Nigerian Football Federation to withdraw the Super Eagles from the scheduled match on Tuesday.
Players and officials were stranded for about 13 hours at a Libyan airport ahead of the game which was supposed to take place on Tuesday.
Photos of the team sleeping on benches went viral early Monday, prompting condemnation.
But hours later, the team landed in Kano (for a brief stop and headed to Abuja) after Libyan authorities cleared their flight to take off.
Tinubu asks CAF to sanction Libya
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the safe return of the senior national football team to the country after their ordeal in Libya, saying he was “deeply moved by the inhuman treatment endured by the Super Eagles”.
This was stated by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy in a statement on Monday.
Tinubu said he expected the disciplinary board of CAF to “conduct a thorough investigation and recommend appropriate action against those who wilfully violated the organisation’s statutes and regulations.”
“The President commended the proactive coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Sports Development in addressing the unfortunate episode and ensuring the safe return of our players,” he added.
President Tinubu also applauded the players for keeping their spirit alive despite the excruciating ordeal in Libya.
Tinubu recognised football’s unifying power in bringing nations and people together and viewed the treatment of our citizens as unsportsmanlike and inhumane, a stark contrast to the spirit of the game.
FG Summons Libyan Envoy
The Nigerian government has summoned Libya’s chargé d’affaires following the Super Eagles’ challenging experience at Al Abraq Airport in Libya. Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar confirmed the development on Monday during a briefing at the State House.
Tuggar described the situation as “unfortunate,” stating, “The Super Eagles flew to Libya to play a match, and somehow the plane got diverted to a different airport, where unfortunately, there was no aviation fuel.”
He added that the Nigerian government is making efforts to refuel the aircraft and ensure the team’s swift return to Nigeria. The minister emphasized the seriousness of the matter, explaining that contact had been established with the team, and the Nigerian mission in Libya was working to resolve the issue.
“We’ve been in constant communication with the Libyan chargé d’affaires since last night,” Tuggar said. “This issue has to be resolved as quickly as possible, and we’re on top of the situation.”
Following the incident, the Super Eagles have since returned to Nigeria and announced that they would be boycotting the match against Libya.
CAF Reacts
