The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed outrage over the hostile treatment of the Super Eagles and its officials in Libya, after a chaotic experience ahead of a crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match.
Dr. Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, provided a detailed account of how the Nigerian delegation, which included 22 players, officials, and key dignitaries, was subjected to what he described as “despicable” treatment by Libyan authorities and the country’s football federation.
The incident began on Sunday, 13th October 2024, when a chartered ValueJet aircraft, carrying the Nigerian team, departed Uyo and landed in Kano for immigration formalities and refueling.
However, upon arrival in Libyan airspace, the Nigerian delegation faced unexpected complications. Despite having all necessary landing approvals, the plane was denied access to Benghazi and was instead diverted to the poorly equipped Al-Abraq International Airport in Labraq.
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Upon landing, the Nigerian contingent was met with several inconveniences. There were no proper security screening systems in place, and airport officials used mobile phones to scan the team’s passports.
Worse, no officials from the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) were present to receive the delegation—a common international courtesy. Hours passed as the team waited for transport to their hotel in Benghazi, with LFF officials repeatedly promising vehicles that never arrived.
“The delegation was shown scant respect, and the players endured unimaginable treatment,” Dr. Olajire said, recounting how players and officials had to wait for over an hour for their luggage, and how calls to LFF General Secretary Abdul-Nasser were ignored as the situation worsened.
As frustration mounted, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau and his officials sought intervention, but were met with hostility from airport security. Players went without food or water for hours, and with no internet access and no buses in sight, tensions escalated further. By midnight, the team learned that their delay was a deliberate act, allegedly in retaliation for an imagined slight during the Libyan team’s visit to Nigeria.
“This treatment is despicable and has no place in football, which should foster good relationships among nations,” President Gusau said, clearly angered by the unnecessary delay.
According to him, the Libyan authorities’ actions undermined the values of sportsmanship and fair play.
As the hours dragged on, the delegation was forced to spend the night in the airport lounge without any comfort, leading to physical exhaustion and emotional distress among the players.
The situation deteriorated to the point that some Super Eagles players fell ill, prompting the team captain, William Ekong, to inform NFF officials that the team might not be able to play the match due to trauma, fatigue, and dehydration.
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The NFF swiftly lodged a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), requesting intervention and calling for sanctions against the Libyan authorities for their unprofessional and hostile conduct.
The NFF highlighted the lack of cooperation and blatant mistreatment faced by the Nigerian delegation, which they described as an affront to the spirit of football.
The ordeal concluded with the Nigerian team being forced to abandon their match preparations and return to Nigeria, as it was clear that the situation was untenable.
Maurice Eromosele, president of the Nigerian community in Eastern Libya, later brought food to the exhausted players at daybreak, but by that time, the team had already decided not to proceed with the match.
The NFF hopes CAF will take appropriate action against Libya for its mishandling of the situation and ensure that such incidents do not tarnish future football encounters.