Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has safely returned home following a harrowing experience during their stay in Libya.
The team arrived in Nigeria on Monday after boycotting their match day 4 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya.
The decision to boycott the match came after the players and officials faced significant mistreatment from Libyan authorities, who left them stranded at the wrong airport for over 12 hours.
This distressing ordeal prompted the Super Eagles to prioritize their safety and well-being over participating in the match.
The return of the team has sparked discussions about the need for improved treatment of national teams abroad, highlighting the challenges athletes face when competing in international events.
“The Super Eagles are back in Nigeria.
“We checked and stamped out our passports from Kano.
“The Nigerian contingent have landed in Kano from Libya.” Tobi Adepoju a member of the Nigeria delegation, wrote on his X page.
The Super Eagles had been stranded at a Libyan airport for several hours, facing inhumane conditions after being diverted to a different airport without food or aviation fuel.
Many across the world frowned at the unpleasant development with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, describing the incident as “the most unfortunate situation.”
Mr Tuggar’s prompt response led to Libya’s chargé d’affaires being summoned to resolve the issue.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) also intervened, launching an investigation into Libya’s treatment of the Super Eagles.
In a statement, CAF said: “The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.”
Libya’s Football Federation denied complicity, attributing the incident to routine air traffic control protocols and logistical challenges.
The Super Eagles’ safe return brings relief to Nigerian football fans and sets the stage for CAF’s investigation.
The players are expected to return to their individual clubs from Nigeria.