Senate demands apology from Libya over Super Eagles’ maltreatment

Senate demands apology from Libya over Super Eagles’ maltreatment

The Nigerian Senate has called on the Libyan government to issue a formal apology to Nigeria following the ill-treatment of the Super Eagles, the senior male football team, during their visit to Libya.

The issue arose after Libya’s 1-0 loss to Nigeria in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday. Both teams were scheduled for a rematch in Benina for their fourth Group D encounter in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

On Sunday, the Super Eagles departed for Libya, but the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) reported that the team’s flight, which was an hour away from Benghazi, was unexpectedly diverted to Al Abraq, a city more than two hours from their intended destination.

Upon landing, the Super Eagles were left stranded, with no transportation or assistance provided by the Libyan Football Federation.

As a result, the Nigerian team was stranded at the airport for over 12 hours, prompting them to threaten to pull out of the AFCON qualifier against Libya. The incident sparked outrage among football fans and officials alike.

During Tuesday’s plenary, Senator Sulaiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, raised a motion condemning Libya’s actions.

He criticized the Libyan authorities for failing to adhere to international sports best practices, stressing that such treatment was unacceptable.

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The Senate urged the Libyan government to apologize for the disrespect shown to Nigeria’s national team, emphasizing the need for fair treatment and respect in international sports relations.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Barau I. Jibrin, who presided over the session said, “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.

“Fortunately, you (Kawu) have come through a personal explanation, and this is what we intended it to do because we don’t want a diplomatic row. So, we call on the ambassador and whoever is concerned and the authorities to come out and apologise for what they have done to our national team.”

Earlier in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.

Akpabio said, “We demand a thorough investigation from the Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and appropriate sanctions to be meted out against those involved.

“It is also imperative that the Libyan authorities take immediate action to investigate this incident and ensure that those responsible are held accountable to prevent future occurrences.”

 

Senate demands apology from Libya over Super Eagles’ maltreatment