The pilot of the Super Eagles’ chartered flight has revealed that the order to divert their flight to a remote Libyan airport came directly from the country’s highest authorities.
The Nigerian football team, en route to Benghazi for a crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya, faced unexpected delays after their flight was rerouted to Al-Abraq, a small airport usually used for hajj operations, instead of Benghazi’s Benina International Airport.
The diversion, which took place on Sunday, left the Nigerian team stranded at the remote airport for over 16 hours. The situation caused widespread confusion and controversy, as the Super Eagles were preparing for their AFCON qualifying match scheduled for Tuesday.
In an interview posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Sports Journalist Pooja Media, the Tunisian pilot explained that the decision to divert the flight was beyond his control.
He confirmed that he had received prior approval from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority to land at Benghazi’s Benina Airport.
However, during the descent, the pilot was instructed by Libyan air traffic control to divert the flight to Al-Abraq, approximately 300 kilometers east of Benghazi.
“The flight plan was to land at Benghazi, Benina, and we had the approval from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority to do so,” the pilot said. “However, when we began our descent, they instructed us to divert to Al-Abraq, which is almost 150 miles away, around 300 kilometres east.”
The pilot expressed concerns about the safety of the diversion, stating that fuel calculations were made based on their intended destination of Benghazi. Changing course to a distant airport could have resulted in a safety risk.
Despite his multiple protests and questions to land in Benghazi, the pilot was told that the decision came from Libya’s highest authority, and he had no choice but to comply.
“When I asked to land in Benghazi according to my flight plan and according to my authorisation, they said no, it’s from the highest authority, you have to land in Al-Abraq.”
The pilot added that he requested permission to land at Benghazi at least eight times, stressing that his concerns about fuel were serious. He also clarified that the decision to divert was not his, as some media outlets had speculated.
“Everything is registered in aviation, we cannot hide anything, so I asked them several times… I warned them, probably I will be in trouble for fuel; they said it’s from the highest authority, you cannot land in Benghazi, you have to divert immediately to Al-Abraq,” he said.
The pilot also described the challenging conditions at Al-Abraq, a domestic airport with limited equipment. He pointed out that the airport lacked essential navigation systems, which made the night landing difficult under marginal weather conditions.
Despite these challenges, the pilot managed to land the plane safely, partly due to his familiarity with the region from his prior experience working there.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has pulled the Super Eagles from the qualifier match against Libya due to the ordeal. A statement from the NFF noted, “Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home.”
