Confederation of African Football (CAF) has responded to the treatment of Nigerian players at Al-Abaq airport in Libya as they arrived for their qualifier match for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 14, 2024, CAF announced that it has launched an investigation into the matter.
The organization emphasized its commitment to upholding standards and regulations within African football, assuring that appropriate penalties will be imposed on any individuals or entities found to have breached their rules.
“The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (‘Super Eagles’) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities.
“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.”
The Super Eagles of Nigeria faced significant delays at Al-Abaq Airport, where they were kept waiting for over 13 hours after their arrival.
Reports indicate that their chartered flight, initially bound for Benghazi, was unexpectedly rerouted to another location while still in the air.
The treatment of the Super Eagles and their officials has sparked controversy, especially in light of Libya’s previous complaints about their treatment during their visit to Nigeria for the first leg of the match.
In response to the situation, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reached out to CAF, expressing their intention to boycott the upcoming game. The team has since returned to Nigeria from Libya.