I have had and read a lot about the controversies currently on-going on the scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying return leg match against Libyan National side in which on the Nigeria’s football team was flown back by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) without playing the match following their alleged “inhumane treatment” in the host nation.
The team was said to be held at an abandoned airport in Libya for more than 17 hours since their chartered flight landed on Sunday.
And immediately after their return, Dr Ademola Olajire, the NFF’s Director of Communications provides a 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil which portrayed how a keenly-anticipated Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match was relegated to a fiasco by Libyan federal authorities and Football Federation.
1) The chartered ValueJet aircraft departed from the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo at 11.55 hours on Sunday, 13th October 2024, and landed at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano at 13.10 hours, for the completion of immigration formalities and for the aircraft to refuel.
2) The aircraft took off from Kano at 15.18 hours, for the 3 hours and 35 minutes flight to Benghazi, Libya, expecting to arrive a few minutes before 8pm Libya time.
3) Just as he was about to commence his initial approach into Benghazi, the captain (pilot) was instructed by the control tower that he could not land in Benghazi (despite having all the required landing papers and having completed all formalities before leaving Uyo and later, Kano, but should proceed to the Al-Abraq International Airport, even though the airport lacked the control navigators for landing at such hours.
He complained that he was short on fuel but his words fell on deaf ears as he was told in stern manner that the directive was from ‘higher authorities.’
4) On landing at the Al-Abraq International Airport, in the small town of Labraq, at 19.50 hours, it was clear that the airport was not a well-utilized facility. 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.
5) The delegation, which included 22 players and team officials; NFF President Alh. Ibrahim Musa Gusau; Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu; a couple of NFF Board members; NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi; …
6) It took over one hour for the team’s luggage to roll through the carousel, despite the fact that the bags and other items had already been hauled from the aircraft immediately on arrival.
7) 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.
8) When delegation members including the NFF President, Comrade Shaibu and Dr Sanusi attempted to venture outside the airport to ascertain if there were vehicles waiting for the team, they were stopped in the most uncouth of manners by airport security personnel.
9) Calls to the General Secretary of LFF, Mr. Abdul-Nasser by Dr Sanusi yielded no fruits as the former kept promising that the buses would arrive in ‘10 minutes’, which later became ‘two hours’, and afterwards, ‘three hours.’ Later in the evening, it was no longer possible to reach him on the phone. Frustrated by this attitude, Dr Sanusi approached the security operatives to request that the team be allowed to go out and board the buses the NFF eventually hired.
This request was rejected with insults. It took the intervention of the NFF dignitaries to prevent what would have escalated into a row …
10) Hour after hour, and with mounting frustration, delegation members, particularly the players, grew restless. There was no food or water provided by the LFF, or where to even procure these items, and there was no network or internet connection at the airport. These swiftly increased the level of frustration and anger.
11) At past midnight, it was learnt that there had been word from ‘higher authorities’ (Libya is a jurisdiction governed by two different administrations – a UN-recognized cabinet in Tripoli and a self-imposed team over Eastern Libya including places like Benghazi and Labraq) that the Nigeria delegation should be delayed for minimum of 10 hours at the airport for what they falsely claimed was done to their team in Nigeria. (All conversations between the NFF General Secretary and the LFF General Secretary on the match in Uyo, both written text and voice notes, are still in the NFF General Secretary’s phone).
12) The NFF team was shocked because the incident referred to in Nigeria was entirely generated by the Libyans. They informed the NFF that their contingent would be landing in Port Harcourt, and not Uyo, only two hours to the team’s arrival in Nigeria.
Despite this, the NFF moved swiftly to get authorities to grant their aircraft movement permit from Port Harcourt to Uyo, but this was jettisoned as the LFF apparently did not cherish the additional fee dispatched by the charter company. They opted to travel by road, refused to use the buses hired by the NFF and instead hired their own, and disrespected advice not to travel by night.
When they stuck to their guns to move by night, the NFF provided security. The NFF even provided the team training facility the day after the match and secured direct flight permit from Uyo to Benghazi for the delegation.
13) Infuriated, NFF President reacted: “We anticipated some shocks here given the false account of what happened in Nigeria as narrated by their team captain. But we did not expect these shenanigans. What I am seeing is despicable and has no place in the game of football which is meant to foster excellent relationships among nations and bring peoples from diverse cultures, religious persuasions and economic and political interests together in an ambience of peace and joy.”
14) The NFF learnt that the Embassy of Nigeria in Tripoli had written, a fortnight earlier, to the authorities in Benghazi that they would want to welcome the Nigeria delegation on arrival. This application was said to have been rejected outright.
15) In a conscious effort to play down their frustration, anger and hunger, players and officials resorted to playing games, listening to music, chatting themselves up, scanning through the airport exit door to see if any vehicles had arrived, and generally looked forward to daybreak, which they hoped would bring much-sought-after relief.
16) Many calls were made to higher authorities in Nigeria to apprise them of the situation, and these persons all expressed fears for the safety and security of the team. These fears were real and justified given the plethora of threats thrown by the Libyans on legacy and social media in the days before and after the match in Uyo. At 2am, Captain William Ekong met the NFF President in the company of the NFF General Secretary to inform the President that the team may not be able to go ahead with the match, due to trauma, fatigue and body aches that resulted from lack of food, dehydration and very cruel and unimaginable treatment, which had led to some players falling ill.
17) The NFF repeated calls to officials of the Confederation of African Football, Nigeria’s FIFA Council Member Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick and higher authorities in Nigeria. It dispatched a letter to CAF in which it detailed the antics of the hosts and hoped that the continental governing body would go ahead to “punish this rare bestiality visited on the beautiful game.” It noted that the Super Eagles had traveled hoping to enjoy a great game of football but had been sorely disappointed and frustrated by the unprecedented level of hostility and poor attitude of the hosts.
18) At daybreak, Mr. Maurice Eromosele, president of the Nigerian community in Eastern Libya, arrived with words of empathy from the Ambassador of Nigeria to Libya, His Excellency Alhaji Muhammad Muhammad.
He expressed shock at the treatment meted out to the Nigeria delegation, who were made to spend the entire night inside the departure lounge of the Al-Abraq Airport. He said His Excellency ordered him to get a few things for the team, and he later returned with plastic bags loaded with croissants and drinks. These served as breakfast for the team.
19) More calls were made and eventually, it was agreed by all parties that the team should not go ahead with the match, but return to Nigeria to await the decision of CAF (who were briefed in detail on the situation) with regards to the un-played match.
20) After spending many more hours waiting for the Al-Abraq airport authorities to sell fuel to refill the chartered ValueJet aircraft (which was initially proving to be some sort of robotic engineering), the Nigeria delegation departed the Al-Abraq Airport (not worth the toga of ‘international’ by any scale) at exactly 15.05hours, bound for the city of Kano, and onwards to the Federal Capital, Abuja.
After taking this unwise decision, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) condemned the Nigerian Football Federation’s actions in refusing to play the return match in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, stressing that it will take all measures to preserve the interests of the Libyan national football team.
The Libyan Football Federation said that its Nigerian counterpart did not cooperate with it in any way, whether in the first or second leg, indicating that the conditions that the Nigerian team was exposed to were beyond the Federation’s control and did not equal a small part of what the Libyan team was exposed to in Nigeria.
The NFF action had to force the Libyan Federation to apologize to the Libyan football fans and the parties concerned due to the state of confusion caused by the Nigerian Federation due to the lack of coordination.
It attached in its statement “some of the inhumane scenes” that the team was exposed to in Nigeria, which did not prevent the team from playing.
LFF explained that, the flight diversion was possibly caused by routine aircraft protocols, security checks or logistical problems beyond their control, adding that Libyan players faced similar challenges in last week’s reverse fixture in Nigeria.
They too issued a nine point to counter the work the NFF Communication Director did to depend on their country and Football Federation for any wrongdoing.
1) We are deeply concerned about the recent reports surrounding the diversion of the Nigerian National team’s flight ahead of the African Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya.
2) Well we regret any inconvenience caused, it is essential to note that such incidents can occur due to routine air traffic control protocols, security checks, or logistical challenges that affect international air travel.
3) These are standard procedures at the airports worldwide and delays or routing, though unfortunate, are not uncommon. We have the utmost respect for our Nigerian counterparts and want to reassure them that the diversion of their flight was not intentional.
4) There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident. Such action are inconsistent with our values and principles.
5) We firmly reject any claims that suggest foul play or sabotage in this situation. It is important to highlight that just last week, our own national team faced a significant challenge upon our arrival in Nigeria for the third match of the Africa Cup of Nation qualification.
6) Despite the difficulties we encountered, we did not make public accusation nor question the integrity of the Nigerian authority. Football, in essence, unites nations and we are committed to upholding the spirit of fairness and mutual respect both on and off the field.
7) In Libya, we pride ourselves on our hospitality and our welcoming nature. We have always prioritized treating all visiting teams, including our African brothers and other international delegations with the respect and dignity they deserve.
8) Hosting these events is a great honor for us and we strive to ensure that all teams feel safe and respected as our guests. This commitment to equally and hospitality is a core respect of our culture and tradition.
9) We hope that this misunderstanding can be resolved with understanding and goodwill. Our doors are opened to our Nigerian brothers and all African teams and we continue to promote the spirit of unity, sportsmanship and friendship in the world of football.
I reliably learnt that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was said to have assigned the Disciplinary Committee to investigate what it described as the disturbing and unacceptable experiences in African football.
But going through some CAF document (Confederation of African Football) regulations, I discovered that the host Football Association (FA) has several responsibilities during international competitions:
And those responsibilities are put in place to ensure a successful and well-organized CAF international competition.
The Libyan and Nigerian AFCON 2nd leg unplayed match situation raises several questions about CAF regulations. Here are some relevant provisions:
According to CAF Regulations: Article 62: Obligations of the Host Association – Ensures safety, security, and adequate facilities for teams and officials.
Article 63: Match Organization – Host association responsible for matchday logistics, including stadium, security, and medical facilities.
Article 64: Team Safety and Security – Host association must guarantee team safety and security.
Article 67: Force Majeure – CAF may postpone or cancel matches due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., security concerns).
Article 82: Disciplinary Measures – CAF may impose sanctions for non-compliance with regulations.
Specific Provisions Relevant to Libya-Nigeria Situation:
Article 72: Travel and Accommodation – Host association must provide suitable travel arrangements and accommodation for visiting teams.
Article 73: Safety and Security Measures – Host associations must ensure adequate safety and security measures for teams and officials.
Article 76: Stadium Requirements – Stadiums must meet CAF standards, including safety, security, and medical facilities.
So the Potential Violations here are:
1. Failure to provide adequate safety and security (Article 64).
2. Inadequate stadium facilities (Article 76).
3. Non-compliance with travel and accommodation requirements (Article 72).
4. Failure to ensure medical facilities and emergency response plans (Article 63).
Possible Consequences:
1. Forfeiture of the match (Article 82).
2. Financial penalties.
3. Deduction of points.
4. Disqualification from the competition.
CAF’s Course of Action:
1. Investigate the incident.
2. Review reports from match officials, teams, and security personnel.
3. Consult with relevant stakeholders (e.g., Libyan and Nigerian FAs).
4. Make a decision based on CAF regulations and fair play principles.
Keep in mind that CAF regulations are subject to interpretation, and the specific circumstances of the Libya-Nigeria situation will influence the outcome.
But my problem with the NFF is their failure to exhaust all available and necessary mechanisms before their abrupt return to Nigeria.
I am happy that the NFF under their point 18) had confirmed the arrival of the president of the Nigerian community in Eastern Libya, for words of empathy from the Ambassador of Nigeria to Libya, His Excellency Alhaji Muhammad Muhammad.
I wonder why they failed to use that medium and made their case known through contacts to showcase the difficulties they were facing?
They should have used the office of the Nigerian Ambassador to get assistance for the way out instead of hasty returning to Nigeria.
At least they should have used that medium to see the match commissioner or match officials and brief them about their ordeal and possible way out.
Even though not reliable, I was told that CAF had fined Libya $10m and banned from playing in their familiar turf but in Angola even as they are also banned from playing home from now till 2026, I hope NFF should learn a good lesson from this fiasco.
Remember that, they cannot be this lucky all the time.