Eyewitness account: Tunisian pilot who flew Super Eagles to Libya explains what really happened

The Tunisian pilot who transported the Super Eagles to Libya has provided insights into what transpired with the Nigerian national team during their ordeal in the North African country.

The Nigeria national football team faced a distressing ordeal in Libya ahead of their scheduled Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya on Tuesday, October 15.

The team, which departed Nigeria on Sunday, October 13, aboard a chartered Valuejet aircraft, was diverted to Al Abraq airport instead of their intended destination in Benghazi.

The situation escalated further when the team was left stranded for over 12 hours without food, water, or network access, leading the players to withdraw from the match.

The Tunisian pilot, who flew the Super Eagles to Libya, has now shared critical insights into the events that unfolded during the flight.

In a viral video circulating on social media platform X, he disclosed that the original flight plan was to land at Benina Airport in Benghazi, a move approved by the Libyan Civil Aviation Authorities before their departure from Nigeria.

However, just hours before landing, the aircraft was abruptly directed to Al Abraq airport, approximately 300 kilometers away from Benghazi.

Speaking to reporters about the ordeal, the pilot expressed concerns about the safety implications of the diversion. 

"The flight plan was to land at our destination in Benghazi, Benina but unfortunately when we got the approval from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authorities that we are approved to land in Benghazi but unfortunately when it was time to land they wanted us to divert to Al Abraq which is almost 150 miles (300 kilometers)."

The pilot emphasized the risks involved in altering the flight route, particularly concerning fuel reserves.

"In aviation, we have our flight plans, and we calculate the fuel to hour destination so we have to avoid this kind of thing because it may make a breach to safety. 

"I have access to land in Benghazi according to my flight plan and according to authorization, they said no it is from the highest authority, you have to land in Al Abraq.

"In aviation, we cannot hide anything. So I asked them several times, at least eight times, and I warned them that I would probably be in trouble for fuel, they said it was from the highest authority, you cannot land in Benghazi, you have to divert immediately to Al Abraq. Thank God we made it safely and we landed safely at the airport."

Nigeria's football authorities have called for urgent action from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and other relevant bodies regarding the mistreatment faced by the national team.

The incident has cast a shadow over the Group D standings, where Nigeria currently leads with seven points, while Libya remains at the bottom with just one point from three matches.

CAF's decision on the matter is eagerly awaited, as the Super Eagles and football fans across the continent demand accountability for the incident that has marred the AFCON qualifiers.

Adeyemi Adewale

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