I am so happy the funny folks of Benghazi found it proper to drag Nigeria’s Foreign Minister,Yusuf Tuggar, into their machinations. This should signal the end of Libya’s participation in international soccer, at least, for sometime. My eyes found a nauseating story in the Libya Observer alleging that Tuggar had, on behalf of Nigeria, apologised to Libya for the Super Eagles inability to face the Mediterranean Knights in the round four match of the Group 4 qualifiers for the 2025 African Nations Cup billed for Morocco.

This turned out to be a big lie and has been refuted by Tuggar, a career diplomat whose last posting was Germany, as Nigerian Ambassador. The import is that the Foreign Ministry, with the backing of the Presidency will join the Nigeria Football Federation in presenting to the world, the danger of playing soccer in war torn Libya. The Libyans are lilliputians in soccer but have used foul means to harangue the continent. Before the Mediterranean Knights touched down in Nigeria for the third round game against the Eagles, they had perfected their usual foxy strategy.

They kept NFF officials in the dark about their flight plans. When it became clear that the visitors were Port Harcourt bound, their hosts made arrangements for them to land in Uyo instead of the Garden City. The Libyan delegation chose a road trip by night, from Port Harcourt to the Akwa Ibom State capital. And because that move was premeditated, they cooked up lies that Nigerian authorities forced them to land in Port Harcourt instead of Uyo. Another claim was that the vehicle conveying their food, drinks and jerseys was diverted by the driver and looted.

The Mediterranean Knights were afraid that the scoreline in Uyo would be scandalous, so they prepared a handy excuse. Unfortunately, the Eagles were lucky to win with a late solitary goal. As the Nigerian delegation flew to Benghazi for the return leg, they did not imagine that it was a big fight. Their hosts declared total war and as Flight Commander Abdul Latif wanted to descend, he was diverted to Al – Abraq Airport, a desolate facility 300 kilometers away from Benghazi. Thank heavens, the experienced ValueJet Pilot, a Tunisian, knew the terrain so well. He protested that the aircraft was low on fuel but was ignored and ordered to change course.

Al – Abraq Airport is devoid of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and other necessary equipment. Surrounded by security forces, the Eagles and accompanying officials were literally detained for over 15 hours with no access to food, water and convenience. That irrationality drew international attention and the Nigerian government intervened through Tuggar and asked the team to rush back home immediately before lives would be lost. The world is waiting for CAF to make a bold, decisive move. Enyimba had suffered this Benghazi siege mentality in the 2021/2022 CAF Confederation Cup.

They were up against Ittihad in the second round. The Libyans chose Tunis as their home ground because of security concerns at home. However, Ittihad kept the information away from Enyimba. CAF also played hide and seek and the Aba Elephants went ahead to procure Libyan visas only to be told that the match would be played in the Tunisian capital. The Nigerians protested to CAF. In what seemed to favour Ittihad, CAF ruled that the match be replayed after the second leg in Aba. Enyimba won the second leg 2-0 which had become the first leg. They departed for Tunisia for the rescheduled first leg. The trip was through Casablanca, Morocco. 

Getting to Casablanca, Enyimba players and officials were denied entry into Tunis due to strict COVID – 19 protocols. Ettihad changed their game plan by moving the match away from Tunis to Benghazi. The Nigerians were convinced that Libya was not safe and preferred a neutral ground. CAF felt otherwise and threw Enyimba out for refusing to go and die in Benghazi. Nigerians are not cowards. Our country men joined in liberating Libya from the Allied Powers during World War Two.

Two of my kinsmen, Godfrey Gugua and Nelson Anyaehie (Uzoka) were part of the Royal West Africa Frontier Forces that fought in cold Tobruk. We are honourable people. In 1983, ties between Libya and Algeria were stained. There was a CAF Champions League game in Tripoli, between homers, Ahly and JET of Algeria. It ended 1-0 against the Libyans. Captains of both sides, presented their jerseys to referee Abdul Hameed Salaudeen, from Kawo, Kaduna. Salaudeen and his linesmen, Linus Mba and Gobir, were mobbed, for a job well done, by Libyan fans and driven like presidents, from the stadium to their Halif Hotel base.

After that splendid performance,the Nigeria Army Warrant Officer, was selected by FIFA to officiate at the China 1985 Under 17 Championships. Tuggar and President Bola Tinubu have been dealing with the United Nations recognised government in Tripoli. Libya has known no peace since the assassination of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Until calm returns to Libya, Abuja should push for exclusion of the Mediterranean Knights and other Libyan teams from international soccer. That the Foreign Minister of the Eastern Government based in Benghazi, Abdelhadi Lahweej, could lie against Tuggar shows that his people are capable of deceiving the world through the simple and beautiful game of football.