The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has issued an official statement regarding the recent ordeal involving the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s national football team, during their trip to Libya.
The team was left stranded for over 12 hours at an abandoned airport in the country, ahead of their crucial AFCON 2025 qualifier, Footballrover reports.
The Eagles had been on their way to Benghazi for the reverse fixture of the qualifier when their plane was suddenly redirected midflight.
Upon arrival, they found themselves trapped at an isolated airport after Libyan authorities unexpectedly revoked their landing clearance without prior notice.
For hours, players and coaching staff were left in limbo, with no access to basic amenities or communication.
The reasons for the abrupt change in their landing permissions remain unclear, adding to the distressing nature of the situation.
CAF’s response to the crisis was swift. In a formal release, the football governing body condemned the treatment of the Nigerian team, labelling the incident as deeply concerning and intolerable.
CAF steps in: hostage crisis under investigation
CAF revealed that they immediately engaged both Libyan and Nigerian authorities upon learning about the stranded team.
The statement further confirmed that the case had been referred to CAF’s Disciplinary Board for a thorough investigation.
Any party found guilty of violating CAF’s regulations and statutes could face severe sanctions.
The investigation is set to kickoff, and CAF emphasised that player safety remains a top priority in all their competitions.
The full statement by the African footballing body reads,
“The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (‘’Super Eagles’’) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities.
The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation, and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.”
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