Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has officially clarified that the country did not issue an apology to Libya regarding the recent detention of the Super Eagles in Benghazi.
This statement comes in response to misleading reports from The Libya Observer, which falsely claimed that Nigeria had apologized for the incident.
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In a statement released by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, on Wednesday, it was emphasized that the report mischaracterized a phone conversation between Tuggar and Libya’s Eastern-based Foreign Minister, Abdelhadi Lahweej.
Rather than apologizing, Nigeria conveyed its dissatisfaction with the treatment of its national football team and called for a swift resolution to the situation.
“The fact of the matter was that the Chargé d’Affaires of the Government of National Unity was summoned to the Ministry to seek an immediate end to the unfortunate incident,” the statement explained.
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However, diplomatic progress was limited during the meeting with Acting Charge d’Affaires Imad Mohammed Matooq Aboud, who stated that the issue fell outside Tripoli’s jurisdiction and was under the authority of the Eastern Government in Benghazi.
This prompted Tuggar to take decisive action by reaching out directly to the Eastern Government’s Foreign Minister, Abdelhadi Lahweej, to facilitate the resolution of the detention.
According to Tuggar, he subsequently contacted the Benghazi administration to seek assistance. Following discussions, the situation was de-escalated, allowing the Super Eagles to depart Libya once the necessary licenses were issued.
The statement further noted, “After that, the aircraft was granted the necessary permits to fly, and aviation fuel was made accessible. Both Ministers agreed that the matter should be de-escalated immediately.” Even when Lahweej reiterated unfounded claims about the treatment of Libyan players in Nigeria, Minister Tuggar corrected the misinformation regarding those allegations.
Throughout the discourse, Tuggar refrained from apologizing for any supposed actions, emphasizing that the claims regarding the mistreatment of Libyan players during their encounters in Nigeria were unfounded.
This incident underscores the importance of accurate reporting and the complexities of diplomatic relations, particularly in the realm of international sports.