Super Eagles safely back in Nigeria after Libya harrowing ordeal

By Samuel Ahmadu

The Nigeria men’s national team have safely landed in Kano, Nigeria, after a tense and frustrating ordeal in Libya, a Nigeria Football Federation official confirmed to Nigeria Football.

The Super Eagles’ chartered flight, which took three and a half hours, made a stop in the ancient northern Nigerian city to refuel before continuing its journey to Abuja and Lagos.

The Super Eagles had resolved not to play their scheduled 2025 AFCON Group D qualifier against Libya, following the ill-treatment they endured upon their arrival in the North African country.

The squad and officials were held hostage at the airport for 14 hours without any explanation, a situation that led to their decision to withdraw from the match.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has formally lodged a protest with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), urging an investigation into the incident. CAF has promised to look into the matter and take appropriate action.

The Super Eagles’ journey back home is a direct result of the intervention of the Nigerian Embassy in Benghazi, which played a pivotal role in facilitating their safe return.

The situation has raised concerns about the conduct of Libyan authorities and has led to calls for CAF to impose sanctions on the Libyan Football Federation.

The team is now en route to Abuja, where they are expected to regroup and discuss their next steps. The NFF and CAF will likely continue their investigations into the incident in the coming days.