After more than 14 hours of being delayed at Al Abraq International Airport, the Libyan government eventually granted clearance for the Nigerian Super Eagles’ flight to return home. The delay affected several players, including team captain William Troost-Ekong, and sparked a wave of support and pressure on social media.
Troost-Ekong expressed his gratitude on X (formerly Twitter), announcing that their plane was finally being fueled and they were preparing to leave for Nigeria. He reiterated that such delays, although sometimes unavoidable, were not done intentionally. His message reflected frustration but also a sense of relief that the situation was being resolved.
Super Eagles player Bruno Onyemaechi also confirmed the team’s imminent departure, and prominent sports journalists like Adepoju Tobi Samuel, known as OgaNlaMedia, provided further updates on the situation. Samuel revealed that after pressure from multiple quarters, the Libyan government agreed to issue the necessary clearance for ValueJet Airline to fly the team out and sell aviation fuel to the aircraft.
There had been an initial suggestion from Libyan authorities to land in Benghazi before heading to Nigeria, which was rejected by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), insisting that the flight should take off directly from Al-Abraq to Nigeria.
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) distanced itself from the incident, denying any intentional delay of the Super Eagles’ return. Ultimately, the situation was resolved, and the players and officials were able to board their flight back to Nigeria. Sports commentator Pooja Media also confirmed the positive development, celebrating the team’s return on his X handle.
The episode drew attention to the power of social media in influencing outcomes, as public support played a role in speeding up the resolution.
