Written By: Jonathan Ameh
Following the horrific and dehumanizing experience Nigeria’s Super eagles suffered in an Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier (AFCON) in Libya, the Nigerian government has denied offering any apology to the North African country.
n authorities perpetrated an attempted genocide against the Nigerian contingent in Libya, a horrifying event that has ignited widespread condemnation both within and beyond Africa.
The Nigerian government clarified on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, that it hadn’t issued an apology, contrary to reports in Libyan media.
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A statement signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, the Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar described the report published by The Libya Observer as erroneous.
According to the statement, The publication by the Libya Observer, which misrepresents the phone correspondence between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Libyan Government’s Foreign Minister, is a clear case of misinformation.
Acting Charge of Affairs, of Libya Imad Mohammed Aboud in a meeting with representatives of the Nigerian Foreign Affairs ministry insisted that it was not under the jurisdiction of Tripoli, which they represented, but that of the Eastern Government in Benghazi.
The statement also emphasized that “Nigeria remains unequivocal in expressing its displeasure and disappointment with how the Nigerian Football Federation officials and players were treated in Libya.”
Speaking on midweek Sports on Radio Nigeria, Barrister Paul Ede described the treatment of the Nigerian contingent as a sad event that will soil the relationship between both countries for a very long time.
“Surely the relationship between Libya and Nigeria is soil. I am not talking about the round leather game alone, because the president was as concerned as any other citizen in Nigeria.
If Libyans want to come to Nigeria for any diplomatic relationship, Nigeria will open it arms? The answer is NO. Football over the years have gone a long way to be able to unit us as an African nation.
But for one African nation to endanger the life’s of the players. Midair the pilot got signal, that from a higher authority they can not land in Benghazi.
Who does that? What if the aircraft had crash landed? What would have happened to these young souls who are trying to make ends-meat and are bringing the game of football across the world?
Paul Ede, Chairman of the Benue State FA, stated that the Confederation of African Football’s actions will significantly determine how Nigeria and Libya can mend their relationship.
He said it will set the record straight and discourage other countries from employing similar dark and horrific modalities when hosting visiting teams.
“The first way to fix this is to watch and see the actions of CAF. Will CAF reward Libya for this bad behavior or punish Libya? Because if you don’t set the record straight that no nation should bring the game of football to disrepute as was done by Libya. If the actions that are taken are not in tandem with what the FIFA statute, the CAF statute put in place, you will see a situation where other nations will hide behind what Libya has done and mistreat and maltreat other nations who go to play football in their nations. So for me, I think to a large extent, this kind of behavior can best be jettisoned if CAF takes a right stance.”
CAF reschedules Libya vs Nigeria for March 2025 in Angola. Libya faces a $10 million fine for damages and a ban on home matches until 2026. CAF threatens a two-year ban from all football activities if such incidents repeat.
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