PUNCH EDITORIAL BOARD
NIGERIA’S national men’s football team, the Super Eagles, were right to boycott the 2025 African Cup of Nations Group D qualifier against Libya scheduled for October 15 in Benghazi. In a major diplomatic fiasco, the Libyan authorities shabbily and disdainfully treated the Eagles when the Nigerian delegation travelled to Libya on Sunday. After a shameful ordeal that lasted 20 hours without reaching the match venue, Nigeria boycotted the return leg of the qualifiers and returned home.
Football is a sporting endeavour aimed at fostering healthy competition among countries. For Libya, it still has a different definition. Its treatment of the Eagles is in bad faith and against the best international practices for hosting international sporting contests. So, Libya casts Africa as a primitive continent.
Nigeria has a very strong case despite Libya’s attempts to curry favour. The Nigeria Football Federation should present the water-tight case with evidence and footage to the Confederation of African Football to help the continental football governing body reach an informed decision.
The Nigerian delegation, including federal lawmakers, the federation President Ibrahim Gusau, secretary-general Mohammed Sanusi, Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, and team officials went through hell. The team left the Aminu Kano International Airport on Sunday afternoon, hoping to land at Benghazi three hours, and 10 minutes later.
Surprisingly, it was never to be. As the chartered ValueJet aircraft descended at Benghazi, the pilot was “ordered from higher authorities” to fly to the Al Abraq International Airport despite the protestations of the pilot that the plane was short on fuel! This is a premeditated diplomatic ambush.
First, it is against aviation rules. There was nothing to warrant the last-minute diversion by the Libyan authorities. It is frightening that the Libyans subjected Nigeria’s delegation to needless and risky aviation landing procedures in the name of intimidating their opponents. The Al Abraq Airport is disused and is mainly for hajj operations.
Second, Al Abraq was almost four hours away by road to Benghazi. With violence raging and Libya under two factional governments, the highway between Labraq and Benghazi is dangerous, especially at night. Life is more valuable than a game of football that only has a reward of three points.
Third, it is the height of diplomatic affront to hold the Nigerian contingent hostage at the Al Abraq Airport for about 17 hours without food, water, and other courtesies. This is an attack on Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu should not take it lightly.
The testimonies from the players depict blatant hostage-taking beyond the confines of football. The optics are numbing – players lying on benches or sleeping in sitting positions. No succour at all at a time of great distress. This is pure hatred for Nigeria by Libya and a bad international press for African football.
Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong recalled on social media: “12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.
“They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games.
“I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful behaviour. Even the Tunisian pilot, who thankfully managed to navigate the last-minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land, had never seen something like this before.
“Upon arrival, he tried to find a nearby airport to rest with his crew, but he was denied at every hotel again under government instruction. He could sleep there, but NO Nigerian crew members were allowed. They have returned to now sleep on the plane, which is parked up.”
The recollections by other players and officials confirm the blatant intimidation by Libya. The team returned to Nigeria via Kano on Monday afternoon after notifying CAF of the inhumane ordeal.
Nantes of France winger Moses Simon said: “Super Eagles weathering the situation in Libya as we are held hostage.” This is not part of football.
Bright Osayi-Samuel added: “I’ve been stuck in a random Libyan airport for 15 hours with no guarantee of health and safety… We can do better.”
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali said: “Over 14 hours spent at an abandoned Libyan airport. No food, no water, no internet access—this is absolutely crazy! #CAF_Online, please do the needful.”
Ex-internationals Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo, Patrice Evra of France, and Carles Puyol of Spain rightfully condemned Libya’s maltreatment of the Eagles.
Ahead of the first leg on October 11 in Uyo, Libya gave a hint of its shenanigans. After clearing airport formalities at take-off in Benghazi on October 8 to land in Uyo, its aircraft landed at Port Harcourt unexpectedly. The NFF said it went to extra-length to secure landing for the Libyan contingent at Port Harcourt and offered another flight to Uyo, which the visitors rejected. That made them travel by road to Uyo. This is not of NFF’s making.
On the field of play, it was clear that the Mediterranean Knights did not understand sportsmanlike behaviour. The goalkeeper, Murad al Wuheeshi, feigned injury and wasted time at every opportunity. He continued the charade even after a well-deserved 58th-minute yellow card from the referee.
In its defence, the Libya Football Federation said its contingent was treated similarly during its trip to Nigeria last week. It claimed that diversions are possible in aviation. These claims are hollow. The LFF is just playing toxic mind games, which it has elevated to dark diplomatic arts.
Its actions strongly suggest that it has scant regard for CAF, Nigeria, and international camaraderie. Beforehand, it was a deliberate tactic by Libya to wrest points from the Eagles off the field of play. Yet, it is naïve of the LFF to think it can take points by weakening the Eagles players by subjecting them to a physical ordeal.
Libya overstepped all bounds of civility and African brotherhood. The country has been a major source of arms influx to Nigeria after the Arab Spring.
The abandoned fixture is a major disruption to the international football calendar already suffering from a pile-up. Now, the ball is in the CAF’s court. It will be difficult to allocate a fresh date because the World Cup 2026 qualifiers are already underway.
Thus, the African football governing body must decisively and swiftly intervene to prevent a complete degeneration into a farce.
CAF banned Nigeria from the 1998 AFCON after the late military Head of State, Sani Abacha, unwisely withdrew the Eagles from defending their 1994 title in AFCON 1996 in South Africa over the brutal execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists on flimsy charges.
This should be deemed as a deliberate act by Libya. For subjecting Nigeria to this ordeal and instigating the postponement of the match, CAF should ban Libya from playing at home for some matches and its home matches on neutral ground in addition to a hefty fine, including an apology and financial compensation to Nigeria.
CAF should deduct the three points allocated to the match and award them to Nigeria.
