Super Eagles stranded at Al Abraq airport in Libya
There are indications that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) may receive drastic sanctions including expulsion from the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying series due to the inhuman treatment meted out to Nigeria’s senior football team Super Eagles’ delegation to the North African country ahead of Tuesday’s AFCON return leg match in Benghazi.
A report by Prompt News said that CAF was shocked to learn that the Nigerian delegation was stranded at Al Abraq Airport, a distance of three and a half hours drive from Benghazi even as CAF officials were waiting at Benghazi International Airport to receive the Super Eagles alongside the Libyan federation officials.
The report quoted sources close to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to have said on Monday that the ill-treatment of the Nigerian delegation in the Libyan territory had reached the desk of the continental football governing body.
The report said that all the relevant departments had been put on notice of the situation the Nigerian contingent was undergoing at Al Abraq Airport in the remote part of the country.
Recall that the Super Eagles chartered jet was diverted from Benghazi International Airport on Sunday to Al Abraq for reason (s) best known to the Libyan football authorities.
“Clearly, the Libyan football authorities have overstretched their luck by the way they treated their opponents, the Nigerian delegation.
“This is unacceptable in African football and we are working hard to modernise to conform with what obtains in other climes.
“These crude tactics cannot be tolerated by CAF. They will be heavily punished”, the source said on the condition of anonymity.
Super Eagles contingent were, as of press time, still stranded several hours after the delegation arrived in the shores of Libya ahead of Tuesday’s 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Mediterranean Knights of Libya just as the team landed at the Al Abraq Airport in the remote part of the country after been diverted from Benghazi International Airport.
The chartered aircraft that conveyed the Super Eagles and officials was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport away from Benghazi just as the pilot was completing his approach to the Benghazi Airport.
According to NFF, the Al Abraq International Airport is only used for hajj operations just as fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan federation failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from the airport to their hotel as at Monday morning.
Prompt Sports News
