The Senate has asked the government of Libya to apologise to Nigeria following the inhumane treatment they subjected Nigeria’s senior football men’s team to, upon their arrival for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Recall that the Super Eagles squad and NFF officials who all traveled to Libya on Sunday October 13, for AFCON qualifier clash, were stranded for over 14 hours after their plane was diverted to a smaller airport.
Senator Ismaila Kawu on Tuesday raised the ill-treatment of the Super Eagles football team by the Libyan authorities and football federation in Libya.
He also urged the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to call the attention of the Libyan government to the negative diplomatic consequences of such action.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano North who presided over the Plenary and condemned what happened in Libya to the Super Eagles, said that the way the players were treated was terrible and condemnable and the action was not in tandem with the spirit of sports, adding that the essence of sports is to promote unity and competition and enhance brotherhood among the countries on the continent.
Jibrin said, “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.
“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.
“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.
