The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, says the inhuman action of the Libyan authorities to keep the Super Eagles players hostage at the Al-Abraq airport was a deliberate act.

Recall that the Super Eagles players were held at the Al Abaq airport for over 20 hours upon arrival in Libya on Sunday for the second leg of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match, following their 1-0 victory in Uyo, Akwa Ibom on Friday.
Players and officials were denied access to food and the internet.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Enoh described the actions by the Libyan authorities as deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable.

“The Port Harcourt Airport where they arrived is one of our best airports. That Port Harcourt Airport, there is no circumstance that will lead to a team having the footballers lie on the floor,” he said. while dismissing allegations by the Libyan side that their players were badly treated during their first encounter in Nigeria.

“All these things were created deliberately to create some make belief. If this was an issue, it should have been made an issue there and then.”

The minister explained that the Nigerian government would not take the matter lightly, arguing that his counterpart in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has summoned the Libyan Ambassador to Nigeria.

“I am aware that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the Libyan Ambassador. The Nigerian government so far has not treated this lightly and is not going to treat this lightly because it must get to the bottom of the matter,” he said.