The Senate has made an urgent request for the Libyan government to apologize to Nigeria after the Super Eagles faced inhumane treatment upon their arrival for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
According to the report, the Eagles along with 22 players, technical staff, and NFF officials, were stranded for 14 hours on Sunday when their flight was diverted to a smaller airport, preventing them from reaching their destination
The Senate harshly criticized the actions of Libyan officials, calling their behavior disgraceful and a blatant disregard for human dignity and international standards.
Additionally, the upper legislative body has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
The Senate’s resolution on Tuesday came after Senator Sumaila Kawu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, raised a point of order, citing Order 42 of the Senate Standing Rules for a personal explanation.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who led the session, condemned the Super Eagles’ treatment in Libya, describing it as terrible and unacceptable.
He stressed that such actions go against the spirit of sports, which is intended to foster unity, healthy competition, and brotherhood among nations in Africa.
Jibrin stated, “This issue was raised under Personal Explanation by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Sulaiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South).
“What the Super Eagles experienced in Libya contradicts the essence of sports, which is meant to promote unity and competition and strengthen brotherhood among countries on the continent. The treatment of our players was terrible and unacceptable.”
Thankfully, you (Kawu) raised this issue through a personal explanation, which is exactly what we intended, as we want to avoid a diplomatic conflict. We believe this was a mistake, and Libya should be given the opportunity to correct it by apologizing to the Nigerian government.
“Nigeria is a major player in Africa, always leading in diplomacy, friendship, and other areas. I’m sure your approach to this matter reflects that, giving Libya’s leaders a chance to apologize to our national team.
“We now call on the ambassador and relevant authorities to publicly apologize for their actions against our national team.”
“I want to thank the Chairman of the Sports Committee. You’ve done an excellent job by bringing this issue to light. You’ve demonstrated great commitment to fulfilling your responsibilities.”
