The Chairman/CEO, of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has expressed strong disapproval of the treatment experienced by the Super Eagles team at the hands of Libyan authorities in anticipation of their upcoming second-leg match scheduled to take place in Libya on Tuesday.
She said it was observed that due to the current situation in the country, it is highly perilous and inadvisable to travel by road in Libya.
She added that the team which left Nigeria on Sunday for Libya for their return match had their flight diverted to an innocuous airport far away from the venue of the match.
Dabiri-Erewa said the safety of Nigerian players is paramount to the country and was optimistic that the Ministry of Sports and the NFF will advise appropriately.
She also called on CAF to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves, as the players, the pilots and others on board the flight had been stranded and subjected to inhuman treatment at the airport for over 13 hours without water, food, rest and other means of communication.
Dabiri-Erewa has urged the Super Eagles to maintain composure while the Nigerian Football Federation determines the subsequent course of action.
On his part, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar also revealed that the Nigerian Mission in Tripoli has been closely monitoring the situation and maintaining contact with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Libyan authorities.
“I have been closely monitoring the situation involving the Super Eagles in Libya. Through the Head of the Nigerian Mission in Tripoli, Libya, Amb. Stephen Anthony Awuru, the Mission has maintained contact with the NFF and the Libyan authorities since last night,” Mr Tuggar stated in his post on X Monday morning.
Despite efforts, the Libyan authorities have not authorised the Nigerian Mission’s trip to Bayda City, where the airport and stadium are located. However, the Head of the Nigerian Community in Benghazi, Morris Eromosele, arrived at the location with the necessary supplies and internet access.
Nightmare
The Super Eagles’ ordeal began when their chartered ValueJet aircraft was diverted from Benghazi to the smaller Al Abraq International Airport, typically used for hajj operations.
The team was left stranded for over 12 hours, sparking concerns over their safety.
Captain Troost-Ekong expressed the team’s frustration, stating, “We have maintained a positive spirit, but these are unacceptable conditions. Travelling by road is not safe here, and we can only imagine how we would be treated in the hotel or the food they would try to give us. It was funny before, but as a team, we respect ourselves, and under these conditions, we won’t play.”
Ekong further highlighted the team’s concerns, citing unsafe road conditions, subpar accommodations, and food quality.
He also revealed a disturbing incident where the Tunisian pilot was accepted at nearby hotels, but Nigerian aircrew members were not. “Even our pilot, who is Tunisian, wasn’t locked in like a hostage, came back hours later. He was told in every nearby hotel they would only accept him and none of the Nigerian aircrew members. Are we still talking about international football?” Ekong questioned.
The NFF had arranged separate vehicles for the team, but the aircraft diversion thwarted these plans. With players refusing to play under these conditions, NFF officials are considering flying the team back home.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is yet to make any official pronouncement on the ugly situation even though many expect a firm declaration from the continent’s football ruling body anytime soon.
