Senate Demands Apology From Libya For Mistreatment Of Super Eagles
The Nigerian Senate has called on the Libyan government to issue an apology following the “inhumane treatment” of Nigeria’s senior men’s football team, the Super Eagles, during their visit for a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.
The Super Eagles, along with officials from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), were stranded for over 14 hours after their plane was diverted to a smaller airport in Libya on Sunday, October 13.
On Tuesday, Senator Ismaila Kawu raised concerns over the poor treatment of the Super Eagles by Libyan authorities and their football federation. He urged Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to alert Libya to the potential diplomatic fallout from their actions.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), who presided over the plenary, condemned the incident, calling it a violation of the spirit of sportsmanship. He said, “What happened to the Super Eagles in Libya is not in tandem with the spirit of sports. The essence of sports is to promote unity, competition, and enhance brotherhood among the countries on the continent. The way our players were treated is terrible and condemnable.”
Jibrin further remarked, “Nigeria is a big country in Africa. We always lead in terms of diplomacy, friendship, and everything. Based on that spirit, I am sure you decided that this matter should be treated this way so we can give their leaders a chance to apologise to our national team.”
He called on Libyan authorities to take responsibility, stating, “We call on the ambassador and whoever is concerned to come out and apologise for what they have done to our national team.”
Earlier, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, condemned the actions of Libyan officials, describing the incident as a “shameful” display of disregard for human dignity. Akpabio expressed solidarity with the Super Eagles, the NFF, and the Nigerian football community, demanding accountability from Libya.
“The Nigerian Senate will continue to monitor this situation closely and ensure that the rights and dignity of our citizens are protected. We demand a thorough investigation from the Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and appropriate sanctions against those involved,” the statement read.
Akpabio also called on the international football community to condemn the behavior and support Nigeria’s demand for justice, urging Libyan authorities to investigate the matter and prevent future occurrences.
