The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, has bemoaned the alleged maltreatment melted on Super Eagles players by the Libyan authorities.
The players and officials were allegedly held hostage at Al Abaq Airport.
The incident occurred after the Nigerian aircraft, originally enroute to Benghazi, was diverted to another city over a two-hour drive from the intended destination, just an hour before landing.
Reacting to the development, Enoh in a statement released by his spokesperson, Diana-Mary Nsan, on Monday, 14th of October, 2024, expressed disappointment over the maltreatment meted on the players and officials.
While calling for calm, assured that the government will engage diplomatically to address the matter.
“Such actions by the Libyan authorities are deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable. Holding our national team and officials hostage under any circumstances violates not only international sporting protocols but also the principles of respect and hospitality that should be extended to all visiting teams,” Enoh stated.
“The Nigerian government will not tolerate any form of disrespect or mistreatment toward our players and officials.
“We are in close contact with the appropriate authorities, and we are sparing no effort in ensuring that this situation is resolved swiftly. I urge everyone to remain calm while we engage diplomatically to address this matter,” he added.
