Sports
Libya-based Nigerians recount ordeals after S’Eagles 20-hour airport detention
Days after the cancellation of the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Libya’s national team, members of the Nigerian community in Libya have lamented maltreatment in the country.
The Nigerian contingent was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival on Sunday, following their earlier 1-0 victory in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
The team was scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match was to be played.
However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot flying the plane reportedly received a directive from “Libya’s highest authorities” to divert the flight to Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination.
The development sparked widespread outrage, forcing the Nigerian Football Federation to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match.
The National Assembly condemned the Libyan government for subjecting the Nigerian team to dehumanising treatment and called for stiff penalties for the Libyan authorities.
The Libyan government had claimed that its national team faced similar maltreatment on Nigerian soil before the first leg of the game.
In separate interviews, members of the Nigerian community in Libya said there had been increased maltreatment of Nigerians after the incident.
Adenaike Emmanuel, a Nigerian living in Tripoli, the country’s capital, said, “For those of us who have been in the country, we know them. Libyans always one you to feel pain. They said what happened to their players in Nigeria was intentional, and they vowed to revenge. They called it ‘an eye for an eye.’ So, what the Libyan government did to the Super Eagles was intentional. Moreover, 95 per cent of their citizens supported it. We saw the reports on their blogs, Facebook posts, and news platforms. It was very clear that the people supported it. And that is how they behave.
“Since the game was cancelled, their maltreatment of Nigerians has not changed. They don’t like us; the inhuman treatment has worsened. That’s why many Nigerians here are battling depression.
“Libyans don’t value us. They just enter our houses, round people up, and take them to prison. Many Nigerians are currently languishing in prisons across Libya without having committed any offence. Most times, we complain to the Nigerian embassy, but nothing tangible happens.”
The International Organisation for Migration has facilitated the return of thousands of Nigerians from Libya in recent years.
In 2024 alone, no fewer than 2,467 Nigerians were evacuated from the North African country after being stranded. Many of the victims, particularly ladies, usually return with tales of abuse and maltreatment.
The president of the Nigerian community, Peter Omoregbie, said since the failed game with the Super Eagles, Libyans had continued with their harsh treatment of Nigerians in the country.
He said, “As foreigners in this country, there is a way they maltreat us. The Libyans act as if Nigerians don’t exist at all. Since the match was cancelled, the situation has not changed.”
Omoregbie said before the Super Eagles left Nigeria, the Libyans had already threatened to treat the team poorly upon arrival.
“The news had spread all over Libya before the Super Eagles left Nigeria. All the local Libyan news outlets reported it. Their blogs also widely shared the news. They claimed the NFF purposely made the Libyan national team players endure physical discomfort so they could be weak before the match and unable to either draw or win against the Nigerian team.
“The Libyans’ game plan for the two-leg matches was to draw with the Super Eagles in Nigeria then win at home. They saw the Nigerian game as their last hope for qualification. But their loss fuelled their resolve to seek revenge.
“So, before the Nigerian team arrived, it was common knowledge that the Libyan national team was maltreated in Nigeria, and they planned to make the Super Eagles experience the same treatment on Libyan soil,” Omoregbie added.
When asked if the incident would impact diplomatic relations between the two countries, he said, “Libya doesn’t always fulfill its diplomatic obligations to other countries. I’m telling you the truth. For instance, if you leave this country, there is no way they will allow you to return. That has been the ordeal we face here.”
Similarly, a former Secretary of the Nigerian community in Libya, Mr Ukpong Christian, noted that it had been difficult for Nigerians to integrate into Libyan society because the country was not friendly.
“Before the Nigerian team landed, the Libyans had already made plans, spreading it across blogs, news platforms, and Facebook pages, saying that because their national team was treated badly in Nigeria, the Nigerian team would experience worse when they came. So, it was a concerted and intentional effort. And since the game was cancelled, Nigerians have continued to receive the usual inhuman treatment from their Libyan masters,” he lamented.
Efforts by our correspondent to speak to the Libyan embassy in Abuja proved abortive.
A representative of the embassy, identified by TrueCaller as Rose, declined comment, saying she was not authorised to speak on the matter.
Sports
Beyond the Trophy: Lessons in Success, Discipline and Integrity from Spain’s World Cup Triumph
By SP Daniel Ndukwe, Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO)
Forty-eight nations entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup with one dream—to become champions. By the final whistle, only Spain remained standing.
From the opening match, Spain played with purpose, discipline and confidence, displaying the qualities of a team determined to conquer the world. Their triumph was not built on luck, but on preparation, resilience and unwavering belief.
Spain’s journey to glory was far from easy.
They began the knockout stage with an emphatic 3–0 victory over Austria before edging Portugal 1–0 in a fiercely contested Round of 16 clash. The quarter-finals demanded even greater resolve as they battled past Belgium 2–1, while a composed and disciplined 2–0 victory over France in the semi-finals secured their place in the final.
Every step of the way tested their character, proving that champions are made by overcoming challenges, not avoiding them.
The final against Argentina was the ultimate examination. Facing one of the tournament’s finest teams, Spain remained calm under pressure, trusted their tactical approach and displayed remarkable teamwork.
Their hard-fought 1–0 victory crowned them deserving world champions and demonstrated that sustained success is the product of consistency, discipline and character.
Beyond the trophy lies a lesson for us all. Whether in sports, education, business or any other endeavour, lasting success is built on discipline, perseverance, integrity and honest effort.
Quick gains through crime or wrongdoing may seem tempting, but they inevitably lead to loss, regret and consequences. True victory belongs to those who choose the right path, remain steadfast through life’s challenges and earn their success honourably.
Shun crime. Reject criminality. Embrace hard work and integrity. The surest path to lasting success is the path of honesty.
About the Author
Daniel Ndukwe is a public relations and strategic communication practitioner, as well as a governance, social change and development specialist.
South African football has been thrown into mourning following the death of Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams, who passed away at the age of 25, just weeks after representing his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The heartbreaking news was first reported by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano before being confirmed by several international media outlets, including The Guardian and BBC Sport. South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Gayton McKenzie, also paid tribute, describing Adams as one of the nation’s brightest football talents.
Adams earned widespread admiration during the World Cup for his courage and professionalism after playing in a key group-stage match against Czechia just a day after learning of the death of his beloved grandmother, Marianna Adams. Despite his personal grief, he continued to represent his country with commitment as South Africa reached the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time.
At club level, Adams had just completed an outstanding 2025/26 season with Mamelodi Sundowns, helping the club enjoy another successful campaign after joining from Stellenbosch FC, where he had risen through the academy to become one of South Africa’s most promising midfielders.
Local publication Sunday World reported that Adams allegedly took his own life after battling depression. However, authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of death, and South African police have opened an investigation while urging the public to avoid speculation.
In a heartfelt statement, the South African Football Players Union described Adams’ passing as “an immeasurable loss” to his family, teammates, clubs, supporters, and the entire football community. Tributes have also poured in from FIFA, football clubs, teammates, and fans across the world, remembering him as a gifted player whose career was cut tragically short.
Mexico’s Julian Quinones pulled one back before halftime, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box to fire into the roof of the net and revive the co-hosts’ hopes.
England were reduced to 10 men in the second half after Jarrell Quansah was sent off following a VAR review, but Harry Kane restored England’s two-goal lead with a penalty after goalkeeper Raul Rangel fouled Anthony Gordon.
Mexico’s Raul Jimenez reduced the deficit with another penalty after a VAR review confirmed a foul from Kane on Brian Gutierrez.
The match was delayed by one hour due to adverse weather conditions around the Azteca Stadium.
England will face Norway in the last eight in Miami on Saturday.
Morocco’s dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands on Tuesday sparked jubilant celebrations in The Hague, home to one of the Netherlands’ largest Moroccan communities, but the festivities later descended into clashes with police that resulted in several arrests.
In the city’s Schilderswijk district, Moroccan supporters flooded the streets waving national flags, dancing and chanting as car horns blared and fireworks lit up the night.
Hundreds of fans gathered at a major intersection, kicking footballs into the air, singing, and celebrating with occupants of passing vehicles. Some supporters even climbed onto moving cars in scenes of exuberance following Morocco’s historic triumph.
However, about an hour into the celebrations, riot police moved in to disperse the crowds. Officers deployed water cannons and carried out baton charges as they sought to restore order.
AFP reporters at the scene witnessed around a dozen arrests. Several young men were pinned to the ground after being struck on the legs with batons before being handcuffed and taken away in police vans.
Police officers on bicycles also pursued groups of youths through nearby streets in a cat-and-mouse chase, although no significant property damage was reported.
Despite repeated requests, revellers declined to speak to journalists, with many choosing to conceal their identities by wearing balaclavas or other face coverings.
The last-32 encounter in Monterrey ended 1-1 after extra time before being decided by a tense penalty shoot-out. After a series of misses by both sides, Morocco striker Ismael Saibari, who plays for PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, calmly converted the decisive spot-kick to send Morocco into the last 16.
Morocco will now face co-hosts Canada in the round of 16.
A 26-year-old lawyer, Sara Araba Tettey, has tragically died while celebrating Ghana’s World Cup victory over Panama.
Tettey, a newly qualified lawyer and alumna of the Faculty of Law at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was among millions of Ghanaians rejoicing over the Black Stars’ triumph when tragedy struck.
According to reports, she suffered a cardiac arrest while watching the match with friends at Standard Hostel, a private student hostel located at Bomso near the KNUST campus in Kumasi.
Witnesses immediately rushed her to the
KNUST Hospital, where medical personnel reportedly spent about 45 minutes administering Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in a desperate attempt to save her life. Sadly, all efforts proved unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead.
Tettey had only recently been called to the Ghana Bar, making her sudden death even more heartbreaking for family, friends, colleagues, and members of the legal community.
News of her passing has spread rapidly across the country, casting a shadow over what had been a moment of national celebration. While Ghanaians continue to celebrate the Black Stars’ victory, many are also mourning the loss of a promising young professional whose life was cut short.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the importance of emergency preparedness and rapid medical response during large public and social events.
What should have been a day remembered solely for Ghana’s sporting success has instead become a day marked by both celebration and sorrow.
-
Crime5 days agoFake Doctor Arrested Over Alleged ₦500,000 Job Scam
-
News5 days agoAnambra: Fight Erupts at INEC Office Over Alleged ₦2,000 PVC Processing Fee
-
Crime5 days agoGunmen kill vigilante commander, three women in Rivers
-
News5 days agoNUF urges FG to direct NNPCL to supply Dangote Refinery adequate crude
-
Crime5 days agoDon’t Allow Police to Search Your Phones at Checkpoints, FCT CP Tells Youths
-
News3 days agoPresident Tinubu Approves Expansion Of Nigerian Army To 12 Divisions
-
Crime3 days agoTension As Gunmen Plot to Establish Camps in Awka Capital
-
News2 days agoYour votes will count in 2027, INEC chair assures Nigerians