By Sylvanus Ofekun
The Chairman of Nigeria’s House Committee on Sports, Honourable Kabiru Amadu, has strongly condemned the ill-treatment of the Super Eagles by the Libyan government ahead of their 2025 AFCON qualifier match in Benghazi. The Nigerian team was held for over 12 hours at Al Abag Airport without access to food or internet, and their lives were endangered when their flight was suddenly diverted to another airport just an hour before landing.
Hon. Amadu expressed deep disappointment, emphasizing that Libya’s actions went far beyond the usual rivalry in football. “This is not sportsmanship at all, and I expect everyone in football to condemn this behavior entirely,” Amadu stated. “Subjecting players to such risky treatment just to win a game is unacceptable. CAF must address this, as it damages the image of football on the continent.”
Amadu praised the Super Eagles players for their resilience and patriotism, reassuring them that the Nigerian government is committed to their safety. He also urged CAF to take strong measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.
The incident occurred ahead of Nigeria’s qualifier match against Libya, where the Super Eagles aim to secure maximum points. The team previously defeated Libya 1-0 in Uyo on Friday.
Reaction from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
Although the NFF denied any claims of poor treatment by the Libyan camp, the House Committee on Sports’ condemnation underscores the seriousness of the situation.
Previous Interactions between Nigeria and Libya
Hon. Kabiru Amadu had earlier congratulated the Super Eagles on their victory over Libya and encouraged them to continue securing crucial points in the AFCON qualifiers.
