Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh, has strongly condemned the actions of Libyan authorities for holding the Super Eagles squad and their officials at Al Abraq Airport.
The situation arose when the Nigerian aircraft, initially en route to Benghazi, was diverted to a city several hours away, just an hour before landing at its intended destination. This forced the Super Eagles and their officials to be stranded, with no assistance from the Libyan authorities.
Minister Enoh expressed deep concern about the poor treatment the team endured and condemned the disrespectful and mistreatment they faced. He assured that the Ministry of Sports Development is collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic channels, and other relevant bodies to secure the team’s safe release and return to their destination.
In a public statement, Enoh said: “I strongly condemn the appalling treatment inflicted on the players and officials of the Super Eagles, who arrived in Libya on October 13 for the return leg of their AFCON 2025 Group D qualifier match played in Uyo. The team was en route to Benghazi, but was diverted at the last moment to Al Abraq Airport, hours away from their intended destination, with little regard for their safety.
“Since their arrival, I have escalated the matter to the necessary authorities, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Advisor, the DG of NIA, Amaju Pinnick, our CAF Executive Member, and others. I have been in constant communication with the NFF president, who is on the ground with the team, and the Chairman of Value Jet, which transported them to Libya. Every effort is being made to protect our national team.
“The team reported being left without food, accommodation, or proper care for over 15 hours. They were placed in a mosquito-infested environment and surrounded by Libyan security forces, unable to leave the airport. They have had no access to basic necessities, and to describe the situation as a ‘hostage’ scenario is not an exaggeration. These athletes are preparing for a critical AFCON qualifying match on Tuesday!
“Our top priority remains the safety of the team. The team has stated that they feel unsafe and are unable to proceed with the match due to the trauma and psychological distress they have endured.
“As Sports Minister, I have instructed the NFF president to file a formal complaint with CAF, ensuring that this issue is recorded and properly addressed. While CAF President expressed concern about facilitating the team’s participation in the match, I emphasized to CAF that Nigeria’s primary concern is the safety of our players and their safe return home. We demand serious consequences for the Libyan Football Federation for this unacceptable behavior.
“I also want to thank team captain William Troost-Ekong for his proactive communication throughout this ordeal.”
Nigeria won their previous encounter against Libya with a 1-0 victory at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. The return leg is scheduled to take place on October 15 in Libya.
