The Senate of Nigeria has called on the Libyan government to apologize for the inhumane treatment inflicted on Nigeria’s senior football men’s team upon their arrival for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The Super Eagles squad and officials from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), who traveled to Libya on October 13 for the AFCON qualifier, were stranded for over 14 hours after their flight was diverted to a smaller airport.
Senator Ismaila Kawu raised concerns about the treatment of the Super Eagles by Libyan authorities during a session on Tuesday. He urged the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to highlight the negative diplomatic repercussions of such actions.
Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, condemned the treatment of the Super Eagles, stating that it was both terrible and condemnable. He emphasized that such actions contradict the spirit of sports, which should foster unity and competition among African nations.
Jibrin remarked, “The matter was brought under Personal Explanation by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Sulaiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South). 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 and competition and enhance brotherhood among the countries on the continent. The way our players are treated is terrible and condemnable.”
He added, “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; we think this is a mistake that the Libyan should be given a chance to correct and apologise to the Nigerian government.”...Read Full Article [Click Here>]
Jibrin continued, “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. 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. So, I thank the Chairman of the Sports Committee. You have done very well, and it is good that you have brought forth this matter. You have shown that you are up and doing in terms of your duties.”
Earlier, Senate President Godswill Akpabio condemned the “shameful” behavior of Libyan officials in a statement from his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh. He described the incident as an unfortunate display of total disregard for human dignity and a lack of respect for international norms.
The statement read, “As the President of the Senate, I stand in solidarity with the Super Eagles, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and the entire Nigerian football community in condemning this unjust treatment. The Nigerian Senate will continue to monitor this situation closely and ensure that the rights and dignity of our citizens are protected. We will not tolerate any form of mistreatment or disrespect towards our nationals, regardless of the circumstances.”
Akpabio further demanded a thorough investigation by the Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and appropriate sanctions against those involved. He stressed the importance of Libyan authorities taking immediate action to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable to prevent future occurrences.
“We call on the international football community to condemn this unacceptable behaviour and support our demand for justice,” he concluded.
