The Tunisian pilot who flew Nigeria’s Super Eagles to Libya for their 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier has disclosed that the highest authority in Libya ordered the diversion of the team’s flight. In a video interview posted by sports journalist Festus Dada on X (formerly Twitter), the pilot recounted the events that led to the unexpected redirection mid-flight.
The pilot explained that despite receiving prior approval from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority to land at Benghazi’s Benina Airport, they were instructed to change course just as they were about to descend. He stated that officials directed the plane to land at Al-Abraq Airport, which is 150 miles (300 kilometers) east of Benghazi.
“The flight plan was to land at Benghazi, and we had approval from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority to do so,” the pilot explained. “However, when we began our descent, they instructed us to divert to Al-Abraq. It wasn’t even listed as our alternate airport, which is not good.”
The pilot voiced concerns over the safety of the players, noting that the fuel was calculated for their original destination. Despite repeated warnings, the officials insisted on the diversion, stating that the orders came from the “highest authority.”
“When I asked to land in Benghazi according to my flight plan and authorization, they said, ‘No, it’s from the highest authority, you have to land in Al-Abraq,’” the pilot recounted. He also emphasized that he had asked for clarification eight times and warned that they might face fuel shortages. “I asked several times, at least eight times, and I warned them about potential fuel trouble, but they insisted it was from the highest authority,” he added.
Refuting media claims that the diversion was his decision, the pilot said that all communications and authorizations were documented and could be presented as evidence. “The truth is, we were going to Benghazi, and I can show you the evidence of the approval,” he stated.
The pilot further described the challenges of landing at Al-Abraq, a domestic airport he called poorly equipped for such flights. “There is no Instrument Landing System (ILS), no air navigation approach, no VHF Omnidirectional Range (VHR). We had to make a visual landing, which is particularly difficult by night with marginal weather,” he said.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) pulled the Super Eagles from their AFCON qualifier against Libya following the incident, and the team returned to Nigeria on Monday evening.
Libya has since threatened legal action against Nigeria for the withdrawal.
