Super Eagles stranded in Libya
BY Abdulsalam Abdullah
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has asked the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to speedily address the “inhumane treatment” meted to the Super Eagles in Libya.
The Nigerian men’s football team has been “held hostage” in a Libyan airport since touching down on Sunday.
Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s minister of foreign affairs, said the Libyan authorities are yet to grant the Nigerian mission access to where the Super Eagles are being held.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the team is boycotting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier with Libya over the incident.
CAF is yet to comment on the situation.
In a statement issued on Monday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NIDCOM chair, condemned what the Nigerian players and the backroom staff have been subjected to in the north African nation.
She asked CAF to treat the ordeal “with the seriousness it deserves” and ensure the safety of the Nigerian contingent.
“Traveling by road in Libya is most dangerous and totally not advisable because of the current situation in the country,” the statement reads.
“The team which left Nigeria on Sunday to Libya for their return match had their flight diverted to an innocuous airport far away from the venue of the match.
“The implication of the diversion will now be another three hours of road travel to the main venue of the match, not minding the risk of road travel in Libya, considering the situation of the war-torn country.
“Already, 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.
“The team was delayed at an airport in Libya for more than 13 hours without any tangible reason.”
Dabiri-Erewa implored the Super Eagles to remain calm while awaiting NFF’s next line of action.
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