By Patience Kapinda
The
highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Nigeria and
Libya took a dramatic turn on Monday when Nigeria's squad was left stranded at
an airport in Libya for hours without basic necessities.
As the
team arrived at Al-Abraq Airport, they were shocked to discover that their
chartered flight had been diverted from Benghazi, the original destination.
The players and officials were prevented from
leaving the airport, sparking widespread outrage.
"We've
experienced stuff before playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful
behavior. Even the Tunisian pilot who managed to navigate the last-minute
change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something
like this before,” Nigeria's captain, William Troost-Ekong, posted on social
media.
Leicester
City's Wilfred Ndidi alleged that the team was being held hostage.
"This
is not football. Very embarrassing. Hostage to a national team. Disgrace,"
he posted on Instagram.
The
Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) quickly sprang into action, announcing that
the team would boycott the match in protest.
"The
delegation of Nigeria to Tuesday's 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya still
remained at the Al-Abraq Airport 12 hours after landing in Libya," the NFF
stated.
Libya had
previously alleged "poor treatment" during the reverse fixture in
Nigeria, claims that were rejected by the NFF.
However,
the latest incident has raised serious concerns about player safety and the
organization of AFCON qualifiers.
Nigeria's
victory over Libya on Friday had put them top of their group, six points clear
of their opponents.
But now,
the postponement has cast a shadow over the team's progress.
"This
is unacceptable and a clear violation of player rights," said Victor
Osimhen, Nigeria talisman. "We stand with our players and demand immediate
action from CAF."
The
incident has sparked calls for an immediate investigation into the
circumstances surrounding the postponement.
CAF and
FIFA have been urged to take swift action to ensure player safety and prevent
similar incidents in the future.
Post a Comment