The Super Eagles of Nigeria endured a harrowing ordeal at Libya’s Al Abraq airport, where they were stranded for an estimated 20 hours.
The team, en route to face Libya in the reverse fixture of the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, had their flights redirected and were subsequently left waiting in the airport lounge.
Amid the chaos, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) issued a press statement, threatening legal action as their reputation took a hit due to the situation.
Amid the chaos, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) issued a press statement, threatening legal action as their reputation took a hit due to the situation.
The LFF explained that the incident involving the Super Eagles was merely an airport protocol mishap.
While the Libyan FA issued multiple statements, the pilot of the flight that transported Nigeria to Libya also provided an account of what transpired at the airport.
In a video shared on social media by Nigerian football expert, Festus Dada, the Tunisian pilot who flew the Value Jet airline from Nigeria to Libya, recounted the events that transpired during the flight.
According to the pilot, he was initially denied permission to land in Benghazi and was instead redirected to Al Abraq. Despite his objections to the unexpected order, he was informed that it came from the highest authority.
Good Morning Everyone!🇳🇬
The Tunisian 🇹🇳pilot that flew the @flyvaluejet airline has said his side of the story ....Read Full Article [Click Here>]I love the way he still stuck with the super eagles 🇳🇬🇳🇬❤️
CAF should use this case to end this north African antics for good!#superEagles#CAF #AFCON pic.twitter.com/iXpBxe8CVW
— Festus Dada (@festusdada1) October 15, 2024
He further explained that he was forced to take the risky alternative of landing at Al Abraq airport, which he described as largely abandoned and lacking the necessary facilities for safe landing.
The pilot’s account seems to contradict the Libyan authorities’ version of events, as shared with the public regarding the Super Eagles’ ordeal.
The Nigerian contingent has since forfeited their match and is awaiting action from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to address the situation.
