The Tunisian pilot who flew Nigeria’s Super Eagles to Libya on Sunday shared documents showing that the Libyan government initially approved their flight from Kano to Benghazi. In a video seen on X by SaharaReporters, the pilot accused Libyan authorities of changing their plans while the team was already in the air.
During his address to the media, the pilot displayed evidence to back his claims, stating, “In aviation, we can’t hide anything. Everything is cross-checked. These documents show we were cleared to fly to Benghazi.” He further explained that after receiving approval, the authorities abruptly changed the destination to a domestic airport, which was not well-equipped.
The pilot mentioned that he had worked in the area for two years and was aware of the challenges. Despite warning the Libyan authorities eight times about diverting the flight, they ignored his concerns.
As a result of this situation, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) delisted the Nigeria vs. Libya match from its fixtures.