Diversion of Super Eagles’ flight not intentional: Libyan Football Federation fires backs at Nigeria

The Libya Football Federation (LFF) has responded to claims that it intentionally delayed the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Al Abraq International Airport ahead of their 2025 AFCON qualifier scheduled for Tuesday.

In a statement released on Monday, October 14, leadership of the federation insisted that they have been good hosts to the Super Eagles and have not done anything underhand against the visiting team.

Earlier on Monday, The Nation reported that the Nigerian team travelling to Benghazi for an AFCON qualifiers match, faced unexpected complications when their chartered flight was redirected mid-flight to Al Abraq, a small airport mainly used for hajj operations.

The Libyan federation responded that issues like these are commonplace and that it did not intentionally divert the Nigerian team.

The statement reads: “We are deeply concerned about the recent reports surrounding the diversion of the Nigerian national team’s flight ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya.

“While we regret any inconvenience caused, it is essential to note that such incidents can occur due to routine air traffic control protocols, security checks, or logistical challenges that affect international air travel.

“These are standard procedures at airports worldwide, and delays or rerouting, though unfortunate, are not uncommon.

“We have the utmost respect for our Nigerian counterparts and want to reassure them that the diversion of their flight was not intentional.” 

The statement further said the LFF did not have a hand in the Super Eagles ordeal in Al-Abraq.

“There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident. Such actions are inconsistent with our values and principles.

“Despite the difficulties we encountered, we did not make public accusations nor question the integrity of the Nigerian authorities,” LFF said.

The statement concluded by offering an open door to “our Nigerian brothers and all African teams as Libya continues to promote “the spirit of unity, sportsmanship, and friendship in the world of football.”

🚨Statement:

1- We are deeply concerned about the recent reports surrounding the diversion of the Nigerian national team’s flight ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya.#Caf #Libya #Nigeria #football

— Libyan FF - الإتحاد الليبي لكرة القدم (@Libyan_FF) October 14, 2024