Nigeria boycott AFCON qualifier after 'inhumane treatment' in Libya

After the alleged "inhumane treatment" suffered by the Nigeria national team in Lybia, the Nigeria Football Federation stated that the national team will fly back home on Monday. The Nigerian team have been held at an abandoned airport in Libya for more than 15 hours without any food or drinks since their chartered flight landed on Sunday. The players were travelling to the country for their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. 

"Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF (the Nigerian federation) officials are making plans to fly the team back home," said NFF director of communications, Ademola Olajire. A formal complaint by Nigeria has been sent to the Confederation of African football (CAF) whose disciplinary board is now investigating the incident. The Nigerian embassy in Libya reportedly cannot intervene as they would need permission to do so from the Libyan government.

Former African footballer of the year Victor Ikpeba, who accompanied the Nigeria team to Libya, has urged for stiff sanctions against Libya and supported the decision to boycott the match. "If CAF know their job, Libya ought to be banned from international football," he told AFP. "This is a high-risk country and one really wonders who approved for Libya to be playing their games at home. I played for the Super Eagles for 10 years and I never experienced what I have in Libya in the last hours."

"The team are not safe, those of us travelling with them are also not safe," he added. "We were locked up in an abandoned airport for more than 10 hours like hostages. The team will call off their bluff and not play this match." On Friday, Nigeria beat Libya 1-0 in the southern city of Uyo. They lead Group D with seven points from three matches, while Libya are bottom of the standings on one point.

 

October 14, 2024