The Nigerian Senate has called on the Libyan government to apologize to Nigeria for the poor treatment of the Super Eagles upon their arrival in Libya for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
This demand follows an incident where the Nigerian national football team was subjected to inhumane treatment by Libyan officials.
The Senate condemned the actions of the Libyan authorities, describing their behavior as shameful and a violation of international norms. The Senate also called for a full investigation into the incident to ensure accountability.
Raising the issue during Tuesday’s plenary, Senator Sumaila Kawu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, expressed his displeasure with the way the Super Eagles were treated. The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, agreed and called the treatment “terrible and condemnable.”
“What happened to the Super Eagles in Libya is not in line with the spirit of sports. Sports should promote unity, competition, and brotherhood among countries,” Jibrin said. He emphasized the importance of giving the Libyan authorities a chance to correct their mistake and apologize to Nigeria. “Nigeria is a big country in Africa. We always lead in terms of diplomacy and friendship,” he added.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also strongly condemned the mistreatment of the Super Eagles. In a statement through his media adviser, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio described the actions of the Libyan officials as “a stark reminder of the disregard for human dignity and the lack of respect for international norms.”
Akpabio further stressed, “The mistreatment of our players is unacceptable and a breach of the principles of fair play and sportsmanship. The Nigerian Senate stands in solidarity with the Super Eagles, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and the entire Nigerian football community in condemning this unjust treatment.”
The Senate called on the Confederation of African Football to investigate the incident and impose sanctions on those responsible. They also urged the Libyan authorities to take immediate action to ensure accountability and prevent future occurrences.
“We demand a thorough investigation from CAF’s Disciplinary Committee and proper sanctions for those involved. The Libyan authorities must investigate and hold those responsible accountable,” Akpabio added.
