The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that it has submitted all relevant documents to the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Disciplinary Committee regarding the recent airport ordeal involving the Super Eagles in Libya. This comes after the Nigerian delegation was held at Al Abraq International Airport for nearly 20 hours without food or water, leading to the cancellation of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier match.
The incident unfolded when the Super Eagles, traveling for their AFCON qualifying match, were forcibly diverted to Al Abraq International Airport instead of their intended destination, Benghazi. Upon landing, the Nigerian delegation was held at the airport under harsh conditions, sparking outrage from football authorities and fans alike.
“The team was left without food or water for close to 20 hours,” said an NFF official. “We were completely shocked by the situation.”
The tense situation eventually led the Federal Government of Nigeria to instruct the NFF to pull the Super Eagles out of the match, citing concerns over the safety of the players and staff. The NFF immediately filed a protest to CAF, demanding accountability and justice for the Nigerian team.
CAF quickly responded, expressing its disapproval of the treatment the Nigerian team received. Describing the situation as “despicable” and “unacceptable,” the continental football body launched an investigation into the incident. CAF gave both the NFF and the Libya Football Federation (LFF) until October 20 to submit documents detailing the events that led to the cancellation of the match.
“We expect full cooperation from both sides,” CAF said in an official statement, adding that it was treating the matter with the seriousness it deserved.
In response to CAF’s ultimatum, the NFF wasted no time in preparing its case. According to a top official from the NFF, all necessary documents were submitted to CAF’s Disciplinary Committee well before the October 20 deadline.
“Even before we returned to Nigeria, we were ready with everything needed to prosecute our case against Libya,” the official said. “We have done what is expected of us, and right now, we are only waiting for the verdict.”
The Libya Football Federation (LFF), on the other hand, has distanced itself from the airport saga. In a statement, the LFF claimed that the decision to divert the Nigerian plane to Al Abraq Airport was made by higher authorities in the Libyan government, not the football body itself.
“The LFF is not responsible for the diversion or the detention of the Nigerian delegation,” the statement read. “We are committed to fair play and sportsmanship, and we hope for a swift resolution to this issue.”
Despite these claims, the NFF remains firm in its stance that Libya should be held accountable for the ordeal. The football drama between the two nations has captured the attention of fans and football analysts across the continent, with many calling for stringent actions to prevent such incidents in the future.
The federal government has also shown strong support for the NFF’s protest. In a statement, the government emphasised that the safety and dignity of Nigerian citizens, including its athletes, should never be compromised.
“We cannot tolerate the mistreatment of our national team in any country,” a government spokesperson said. “We expect CAF to investigate this matter thoroughly and deliver a fair judgment.”