The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has refuted claims circulating in Libya that the Nigerian government apologized to its Libyan counterpart over the Super Eagles‘ 15-hour airport detention in Libya. Tuggar made this clarification in a statement released on Wednesday, signed by his media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir.
The statement responded to a report by Libya Observer, which alleged that Nigeria had apologized. Tuggar emphasized that the publication was an attempt to gain political leverage and misrepresented the actual events during his conversation with the East-based Libyan government’s Foreign Minister.
Abdulkadir clarified that at no point during the discussion did Tuggar apologize for any wrongdoing regarding the Libyan National Team’s visit to Nigeria. He insisted that the report of mistreatment was inaccurate and did not reflect the reality of the situation.
The statement reads: “Nigeria did not Apologize to Libya over Super Eagles detention fiasco -Tuggar.” It further addressed the erroneous report published by Libya Observer on October 15, 2024, describing it as a political maneuver aimed at creating disaffection among continental football administrators and fans.
The Ministry‘s response underscores Nigeria’s position on the issue, dismissing the report as an attempt to manipulate the narrative for political gain. Tuggar’s clarification seeks to correct the misinformation and emphasize that Nigeria did not acknowledge or apologize for any alleged mistreatment of the Libyan team.
By setting the record straight, the Nigerian government aims to maintain diplomatic integrity and prevent misunderstandings that could affect international sports relations and the perception of the country’s actions. The incident highlights the importance of clear communication between nations and the role of media in accurately reporting diplomatic affairs.
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