After over 14 hours of detention at Al Abraq International Airport, the Libyan government has finally granted clearance for the Nigerian flight carrying Super Eagles players and officials to return home.
The breakthrough came after mounting pressure from various parties, prompting the Libyan authorities to take action.
Sports journalist Adepoju Tobi Samuel, also known as OgaNlaMedia, shared the update, confirming that clearance had been issued for the ValueJet Airline to take off and refuel. He posted: “Following pressure from several quarters, the Libyan government has agreed to issue clearance for ValueJet Airline to fly and sell aviation fuel to the aircraft.”
Initially, there was a proposal from Libyan authorities for the flight to make a pre-clearance stop in Benghazi before proceeding to Nigeria. Samuel highlighted the complexity of the situation, stating: “They suggested a pre-clearance to land in Benghazi before flying to Nigeria—the same Benghazi that was busy yesterday.”
However, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) held firm, insisting that the clearance should allow the team to fly directly back to Nigeria without any unnecessary stops.
The resolution ends the tense standoff and allows the Super Eagles to return home after their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
