CAF have released a statement addressing Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ ordeal at an airport in Libya ahead of their 2025 AFCON qualifier encounter.
Nigeria flew out to Libya on Sunday night with the match between the two countries scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 15 October.
The Super Eagles’ flight was originally scheduled to land in Benghazi, but it was unexpectedly diverted to Al Abraq Airport, located about three hours and 40 minutes away from original destination.
In a statement released on Monday, the Nigeria Football Federation noted that Al-Abraq International Airport appeared to be an underutilised facility.
Additionally, they mentioned that there was no representative from the Libyan Football Association there to welcome their delegation.
NFF CLAIM THEY WERE LEFT IN AN AIRPORT THAT’S NO LONGER UTILISED
“On landing at the Al-Abraq International Airport, in the small town of Labraq, at 19.50hours, it was clear that the airport was not a well-utilized facility,” NFF explained via a statement.
“There were no scanning machines or the usual equipment for this service, and officials had to make do with mobile phones to scan passport data pages.
“No official of the Libyan Football Federation was at the airport to receive the delegation, as is the best practice globally. Airport officials could not answer the simple question on where the buses that would take the delegation members back to Benghazi (where the NFF had booked hotel rooms) were.
Furthermore, numerous reports indicate that the Nigerian team was left stranded for 12 hours without food and water.
The Super Eagles have reportedly returned home, opting to boycott the match because they believe Libya employed unscrupulous tactics to disrupt their readiness for the game.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Monday afternoon, CAF announced that it has initiated an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of the West African nation.
CAF’S RESPONSE TO SUPER EAGLES’ SITUATION IN LIBYA
CAF contacted Libyan and Nigerian officials after hearing that the Nigerian national football team and their coaching staff were stranded in a Libyan airport under unpleasant conditions.
“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,” said CAF via a statement.
“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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