In a significant development, the Libyan government has cleared a ValueJet flight to bring the Super Eagles players and officials back home after an exhausting 14-hour detention at Al Abraq International Airport.
The breakthrough came after mounting pressure from various stakeholders, prompting Libyan authorities to take action. Renowned sports journalist Adepoju Tobi Samuel, known as OgaNlaMedia, shared the news, confirming that the government had authorized ValueJet Airline to operate and supply aviation fuel for the flight.
In his post, Samuel remarked, “After pressure from several quarters, the Libyan government has agreed to issue clearance for ValueJet Airline to fly and sell aviation fuel to the airline.”
Initially, the situation appeared more complicated, as Libyan authorities suggested a pre-clearance to land in Benghazi before heading to Nigeria. Samuel expressed frustration, stating,
“They came with a gimmick to issue a pre-clearance to land in Benghazi first before we fly to Nigeria. The same Benghazi that was busy yesterday.”
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) stood firm, insisting that the clearance must allow the team to fly directly from Al Abraq Airport to Nigeria without unnecessary stops.
This approval marks the end of a tense standoff, enabling the Super Eagles to finally return after their trip for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
