Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Honourable Kabiru Amadu, has expressed deep displeasure and disappointment over the ill treatment of the Super Eagles by Libyan authorities ahead of Tuesday’s AFCON Qualifier in Benghazi.
The Super Eagles and the Nigerian delegation were held hostage for more than twelve hours at Al Abag Airport, without access to food or internet. The situation escalated when their flight was abruptly diverted to another airport just an hour before they were due to land in Benghazi, putting the lives of the Nigerian delegation in serious danger.
Honourable Amadu condemned the actions of the Libyan government, calling it an unacceptable violation of sportsmanship. “This behaviour has gone beyond the usual antics teams use to unsettle their opponents,” he stated. “It is dangerous and could have endangered the lives of the Nigerian delegation.”
“This is absolutely not sportsmanship,” Amadu continued. “Everyone in football should condemn such behaviour in its entirety. You can’t subject players to such risky treatment just to gain an advantage. CAF must take this matter seriously because it tarnishes the image of football on the continent.”
Amadu stressed that African football should have evolved past these “barbaric behaviours” and called on CAF to ensure that such incidents are eliminated from the game. “This is a big challenge for CAF, and it’s their responsibility to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he added.
Despite the ordeal, Honourable Amadu praised the Super Eagles players for their resilience and patriotic spirit, assuring them that the Nigerian government would always prioritise their safety.
The Super Eagles are set to face the Libyans on Tuesday in the return leg of the 2025 AFCON Qualifier after securing a 1-0 victory in Uyo on Friday.
