Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has categorically denied claims that the country issued an apology to Libya regarding the recent detention of the Super Eagles in Benghazi. This clarification follows an inaccurate report by The Libya Observer suggesting that Nigeria had apologized for the incident.
In a statement released on Wednesday, October 16, by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, it was explained that the erroneous report misrepresented a diplomatic phone call between Tuggar and Libya’s Eastern-based Foreign Minister, Abdelhadi Lahweej. Instead of issuing an apology, the Nigerian government expressed dissatisfaction with how its national football team was treated and called for an immediate resolution.
“The fact of the matter is that the CDA of the Government of National Unity was summoned to the Ministry to seek an immediate end to the unfortunate incident,” the statement clarified.
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However, initial diplomatic efforts faced challenges. The Acting Charge d’Affaires of Libya in Nigeria, Imad Mohammed Matooq Aboud, stated that the incident fell outside the jurisdiction of the Tripoli-based government he represented and was under the control of the Eastern Government in Benghazi.
In response to this impasse, Tuggar reached out to the Eastern administration, directly contacting Foreign Minister Abdelhadi Lahweej to intervene. Following their discussions, the situation de-escalated, leading to the necessary permits being issued for the Super Eagles’ departure from Libya.
“After that, the aircraft received the necessary permits to fly, and aviation fuel was secured. Both Ministers agreed that the matter should be de-escalated immediately,” the statement noted. While Lahweej attempted to revisit past claims about the treatment of Libyan players in Nigeria, Tuggar corrected these inaccuracies and refused to apologize, asserting that the claims were unfounded.
The statement emphasizes Nigeria’s priority in resolving the situation diplomatically while addressing any misinformation surrounding the events.