The Federal Government, on Monday, summoned the Libyan Chargé d’Affaires over the maltreatment of Super Eagles at Al Abraq International Airport, Libya.
Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said this while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Tuggar said he was in torch with Ibrahim Gusau, the Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and the Libyan Chargé d’Affaires in Nigeria to find a way to resolve the impasse.
“Since last night, we’ve been on the phone with the chargé d’affaires because Libya doesn’t have an ambassador here.
“So, we’re in touch with the chargé d’affaires, and I’m heading back to the ministry now, where we have summoned the chargé d’affaires, the Libyan chargé d’affaires.
“This issue has to be resolved as quickly as possible. So, we’re on top of the situation,” he said.
A ValueJet chartered aircraft conveying the Super Eagles was diverted from landing at Benghazi Airport, and redirected to land at Al Abraq Airport.
The Super Eagles were to take on the Libyan National team on Tuesday in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, following the team’s hard-earned 1-0 victory in the first encounter in Uyo.
The Super Eagles were locked up at the Al Abraq Airport for over 18 hours without food, water and other basic supplies upon arrival on Sunday.
Tuggar said staff of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Nigerian mission in Libya had been detailed to represent the nation on the matter.
He added that the managers of the Nigerian team had decided to refuel the chartered ValueJet aircraft at the AlAbraq airport and return to Nigeria.
He said the decision to return to Nigeria without honouring the match was due to the hostile reception given the team by the Libya Football Federation, a situation he said was unacceptable.
Tuggar decried the ill treatment of the Nigerian delegates, saying that the Federal Government would not allow the team to proceed with the game.
“As you know, the Libyan team was here they were supposed to land in Uyo, instead they landed in Port Harcourt. And now our team has gone to Libya, and somehow the plane gets diverted to a different airport.
“And unfortunately, at that airport, there is no aviation fuel, because what we have decided is they need to refuel and get out; we will not be able to allow them to continue.
“Suffice it to say that we have established contact with them. We’ve sent people from the mission to go there, representing the mission,” said the minister.
