In a disappointing turn of events, the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, has been cleared to leave Libya after being held hostage for over 17 hours at the Al Abraq International Airport.
The team’s chartered jet was initially refused refueling and airspace clearance by the Libyan authorities, sparking widespread concern and outrage.
According to latest report, the Libyan government has finally succumbed to pressure from external bodies, granting the necessary clearance for the ValueJet Airline to buy aviation fuel and fly.
Nigerian Sports journalist Adepoju Tobi Samuel, popularly known as OgaNlaMedia confirmed this on his X: “After pressure from several quarters, the Libyan government has agreed to issue clearance for ValueJet Airline to fly and sell aviation fuel to the airline.”
“They came with a gimmick to issue a pre-clearance to land in Benghazi first before we fly to Nigeria. The same Benghazi that was busy yesterday.”
“The NFF has insisted that the clearance from Al-Abraq airport must be for the team to fly directly to Nigeria.”
This means the Super Eagles are now en route back to Nigeria.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are finally departing Libya
The ordeal began when the Super Eagles arrived at the Al Abraq International Airport, only to be abandoned without access to food, water, or internet for over 15 hours.
Meanwhile, the Libyan authorities initially insisted that the team fly to Benghazi first before departing for Nigeria, sparking suspicions of a deliberate attempt to delay their departure.
However, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) stood firm, insisting that the clearance from Al-Abraq airport must be for the team to fly directly to Nigeria.
After intense negotiations and pressure from various quarters, the Libyan government relented, issuing the necessary clearance for the team’s direct departure.
The Super Eagles’ harrowing experience in Libya has raised concerns about player safety and the challenges faced by African teams in international competitions.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and calls for greater protection and support for African football teams.
As the team returns to Nigeria, fans and supporters will breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that the ordeal has come to an end without major incident.
Was the harsh treatment of the Super Eagles a retaliation?
The Nigerian Football Federation has been accused of mistreating Libyan players when they came to Nigeria for the first leg of the 2025 AFCON qualifier.
However, NFF denied the allegations of the mistreatment made by Libya national team captain, Faisal Al Badri, ahead of the African Cup of Nations Qualifiers against the Super Eagles on Friday, October 11.
The NFF explained that it was the Libyan Football Federation that caused the chaos and difficulties faced by the visiting team during their stay in Nigeria.
It is possible that many people would suggest that the Libyan government deliberately mistreated the Super Eagles of Nigeria as a form of retaliation for the treatment their own players received in Nigeria.
Furthermore, the smooth and positive experience of the Ghana national team players during their trip to Libya for their return match against Sudan could be seen as evidence that the mistreatment of the Super Eagles was intentional.
What’s next?
It remains to be seen how the return leg will turn out to be as the Confederation of Africa Football is yet to make a statement on the incident.
The Super Eagles could lose all three points for boycotting the game. Also, CAF will impose a fine on the Nigeria national team for boycotting the match if the football body conclude that Libya did nothing wrong in the saga.
However, the safe return of the Super Eagles will undoubtedly come as welcome news to Nigeria.
What’s your take on this, do you think the mistreatment was a retaliation? Please, share your thoughts with us in the comments box below:
