The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has revealed disturbing details of the Super Eagles’ harrowing 20-hour ordeal in Libya ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier match in Benghazi.
NFF’s Director of Communications, Dr. Ademola Olajire, provided a detailed account of the chaotic events that unfolded when the Nigerian team and officials were treated with hostility upon arrival in Libya on Sunday, 13th October 2024, Footballrover reports.
According to Dr. Ademola,
The NFF delegation, including 22 players and team officials, embarked on the journey aboard a chartered ValueJet aircraft from Uyo, Nigeria.
After a brief stop in Kano for immigration formalities and refueling, the flight continued its journey to Benghazi.
Relief 😮💨
🎥 – @festusdada1 pic.twitter.com/H1fpUjGmKs
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) October 14, 2024
However, as the aircraft approached Benghazi, the team’s ordeal began when Libyan aviation authorities inexplicably diverted the flight to the Al-Abraq International Airport, a facility ill-equipped for nighttime landings.
Super Eagles stranded: hours of delays, no food or water
Upon landing at Al-Abraq Airport, the Nigerian delegation was met with a series of unprecedented delays and unprofessional treatment.
Airport officials, without any explanation, subjected the team to prolonged waits and failed to provide essential services such as food, water, and transportation.
Dr. Olajire noted that the team’s luggage took over an hour to arrive, and there was no representative from the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) to receive them—a breach of international football protocol.
With no buses arranged to take the team to their hotel in Benghazi, NFF officials were left to fend for themselves, while attempts to contact the LFF General Secretary yielded no results.
The players and officials were confined to the airport for hours, during which time they endured poor conditions, lack of sustenance, and inadequate communication.
Calls to Nigerian authorities expressing concerns for the team’s safety went unanswered, as threats from Libyan fans had already been circulating on social media following a previous match in Nigeria.
Unprecedented hostility towards the Super Eagles
The treatment of the Nigerian delegation was in stark contrast to the hospitality extended to the Libyan team during their stay in Nigeria.
The NFF had taken extraordinary measures to accommodate the Libyan contingent, including providing transportation, security, and training facilities.
Despite these efforts, the Libyan authorities unjustly delayed the Super Eagles’ stay at the airport, allegedly in retaliation for issues the Libyan team faced in Nigeria—a situation entirely caused by the Libyans themselves.
NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau expressed his dismay over the treatment received, stating:
“We anticipated some shocks here given the false account of what happened in Nigeria as narrated by their team captain. But we did not expect these shenanigans. What I am seeing is despicable and has no place in the game of football.”
Calls to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) were made, detailing the unacceptable conditions and asking for intervention.
As the night wore on, members of the Nigerian delegation, including Captain William Troost-Ekong, informed NFF officials that the team might be unable to continue with the match, citing trauma and fatigue.
By daybreak, it became clear that the match would not go on, and the Super Eagles were forced to return to Nigeria after hours of mistreatment, awaiting further action from CAF.
Libyan authorities delayed Nigerian departure
By the time the Nigerian delegation finally departed from Al-Abraq International Airport at 15:05 hours on Monday, 14th October 2024, they had spent more than 20 grueling hours in Libyan territory.
Despite repeated attempts to communicate with Libyan officials, the team was denied basic services, and their return journey was only made possible after significant delays.
The NFF has called on CAF to take swift and decisive action against Libya for what it described as “bestiality visited on the beautiful game.”
The Federation hopes that the continental governing body will penalise Libya for the unjust treatment meted out to the Nigerian delegation, which stands in stark violation of international football standards.
Awaiting CAF’s decision
As the Nigerian team returns home, the fate of the postponed match hangs in the balance.
The @NGSuperEagles are back home!
Now let’s recount all the events of the past almost 24 hours read full details here 👇🏽
20 points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil …https://t.co/hZPK3QFTSx pic.twitter.com/NmZlftl1ak
— The NFF 🇳🇬 (@thenff) October 14, 2024
The NFF remains hopeful that CAF will uphold the principles of fair play and ensure that appropriate sanctions are imposed on the Libyan Football Federation for their conduct.
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