Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has denied claims that Nigeria issued an apology to Libya following the recent detention of the Super Eagles in Benghazi.
The denial comes in response to a report by the Libya Observer, which falsely claimed that Nigeria had apologized for the mistreatment of its national football team.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Tuggar’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the Minister clarified that Nigeria expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment of the Super Eagles, not an apology.
Tuggar explained that the Nigerian government demanded an immediate resolution to the issue, contrary to the fabricated apology report.
The incident occurred during Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier against Libya.
The Nigerian team was held at Benghazi airport for over 20 hours without food or water.
Tuggar took swift diplomatic action, contacting Libya’s Eastern-based Foreign Minister, Abdelhadi Lahweej, to intervene and secure the team’s release.
According to the minister, the situation was de-escalated after negotiations and no apology was tendered.
Tuggar also corrected false allegations from Lahweej regarding the treatment of Libyan players in Nigeria.
He further refuted any mistreatment and rejected a joint statement proposal that misrepresented the facts.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is currently investigating the incident.
