A newspaper in Libya, Libya Observer has reported that the Nigerian government has apologised to Libya over the botched Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match which could have been held on Tuesday evening.

The publication has it that “in a recent phone call with the east-based government Foreign Minister Abdelhadi Al-Huwaij, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar extended an official apology to the Libyan government and its people for a recent incident involving the Libyan national football team.”

The publication is illustrated with a photograph of the Nigerian minister holding a mobile telephone to his right ear.

According to Libya Observer, “the apology followed growing tensions after a controversial decision by Nigeria’s Football Federation to refuse participation in a scheduled Africa Cup of Nations qualifier return match.”

It further reported that the Libyan Foreign Ministry claimed that the Nigerian Foreign Minister Tuggar “expressed deep regret, clarifying that the incident was neither intentional nor a deliberate act by the Nigerian government.

“He emphasized Nigeria’s respect for Libya and its people, assuring that the matter was an unfortunate oversight.

The report further claimed that in response, the Libyan minister, Al-Huwaij “reassured his Nigerian counterpart that Libya had ensured the well-being of the Nigerian delegation, providing full logistical and technical support to facilitate their safe return home.

“He also highlighted the longstanding and strong ties between the two nations, underscoring their commitment to maintaining friendly relations.

The Libyan Football Federation had earlier condemned the actions of the Nigerian Football Federation, accusing it of refusing to participate in the return leg of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Libya Observer reported that Libya’s football authorities have vowed to take all necessary steps to safeguard the interests of their national team in response to the incident.

But another Tripoli-based publication, Libyan Express, highlighted that the Libyan team to a lesser extent also experienced problems travelling to Nigeria and concluded: “It also emphasises the need for clear communication and mutual respect between participating nations to ensure fair play and the well-being of all athletes.”