House Committee on Sports condemns Libya over inhumane treatment of Super Eagles

By Monsurat Olatunji

Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Honourable Kabiru Amadu, has expressed deep disappointment and outrage over the mistreatment of the Super Eagles and the Nigerian delegation ahead of their AFCON qualifier in Benghazi, Libya.

The Super Eagles and officials were held for over 12 hours at Al Abag Airport without access to food or internet. The delegation’s safety was further jeopardized when their flight was abruptly diverted to another airport just an hour before landing in Benghazi.

Hon. Amadu condemned Libya’s actions, stating: “The behaviour of the Libyans has gone beyond normal routine antics that teams use to unsettle their opponents. This kind of behaviour is capable of endangering the lives of the Nigerian delegation.”

He further stressed: “This is absolutely not sportsmanship, and I expect everyone in football to condemn this behaviour in its entirety. You can’t subject players to such a risky treatment just because you want to win a game.”

Hon. Amadu also called on CAF to take action, saying: “I strongly think CAF must take this up because this is not good for the image of football on the continent. Our football in Africa should have moved past barbaric behaviour like this, and it’s a big challenge for CAF to ensure this kind of thing is not seen around the game.”

Despite the ordeal, Hon. Amadu praised the Super Eagles for their resilience and patriotic spirit, assuring them that the Nigerian government would always prioritize their safety.

The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Libya on Tuesday in the return fixture of the 2025 AFCON qualifier, after defeating them 1-0 in Uyo on Friday.