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The Super Eagles were left stranded at Al Abraq Airport for 12 hours after landing in Libya. BackgroundThe Super Eagles were left stranded at Al Abraq Airport for 12 hours after landing in Libya. Their chartered ValueJet aircraft was diverted from Benghazi to the smaller Al Abraq International Airport, typically used for hajj operations. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) also intervened, launching an investigation into Libya's treatment of the Super Eagles. Moving the motion, Mr Ahmadu lamented the ill-treatment of the Super Eagles, describing the entire event as "inhumane" and "ill-considered."
SHENGJIN, Albania (AP) — An Italian navy ship on Wednesday docked at the Albanian port of Shengjin to bring the first group of 16 migrants intercepted in international waters. Last week Italy formally opened two centers in Albania where it plans to process thousands of asylum-seekers outside its borders. Though the center in Gjader has capacity for 3,000 migrants, it will start with 400 and increase to 880 in a few weeks. The facilities are run by Italy and are under Italian jurisdiction, while Albanian guards provide external security. Italian officials expect the Gjader center will never be at full occupancy but that depends on the flow of migrants brought to Albania.
President Tinubu demands sanctionsPresident Bola Tinubu, yesterday, welcomed the Super Eagles back to Nigeria. “There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident. Well, it is the most unfortunate situation, because the Super Eagles flew to Libya to play a match. “I played for the Super Eagles for 10 years and I never experienced what I have in Libya in the last hours”, he said. Before the decision to boycott the match with Libya, the Super Eagles were leading Group D table with seven points from three matches.
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) said Nigeria were to blame for the postponement of Tuesday's scheduled Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Benghazi after the visitors refused to play the match citing mistreatment on arrival in the country. They said they had no access to food or water, or contact from Libyan officials during the episode, and decided to fly back to Nigeria on Monday rather than fulfil the fixture. The LFF said in a statement it deplored the actions taken by the Nigeria Football Federation and that it would take all legal measures to protect the interests of the national team. "The Libyan Football Federation apologises to the Libyan football fans everywhere and the parties concerned with the arrangements of the match due to the state of confusion caused by the Nigerian Football Federation, which led to the failure to hold the match on time," it added. Nigeria won that match 1-0 and are in pole position to qualify for the Cup of Nations finals that will be staged in Morocco late next year.
The Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, has safely returned home after a tumultuous 24 hours in Libya. Following their slim win in Uyo on Friday, the team’s journey to Libya turned into a nightmare. On Sunday, 13 October, the team’s chartered flight was unexpectedly diverted from Benghazi to Abraq Airport, causing unnecessary delays and tensions. Despite prior agreements, the Libyan FA failed to provide buses, leaving the team stranded. History repeated itself, prompting current players to share their harrowing experiences:Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the national football team, the Super Eagles, has safely returned home following a troubling incident in Libya before their scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. The team’s ordeal, marked by alleged “inhumane treatment,” has raised serious concerns and prompted an official complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). After arriving in Libya, the Super Eagles were unexpectedly diverted from their intended landing site in Benghazi to Al-Abraq Airport, located 230 kilometers away. Captain William Troost-Ekong voiced the team’s concerns on social media, stating, “We have decided that we will NOT play this game. Former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, who was with the Super Eagles, called for stringent sanctions against Libya, underscoring the high-risk nature of the country.
In Libya today, Ghana’s Black Stars would be on a mission to rescue a failing AFCON 2025 qualification bid when they face Sudan in a second leg double-header. The Black Stars would need the maximum points at stake to keep qualification hopes alive. Mohammed Kudus -Black Stars Ramadan Agab – SudanSuch is the enormity of the task that faces Coach Otto Addo and his Black Stars squad. The reality of missing out on the continental football extravagansa dawned on Ghanaian fans on Thursday after the Black Stars were held to a goalless encounter in Accra. That would at least make a Black Stars bounce in the return leg of qualifiers and contest for the top spot a bit realistic.
Benghazi, Oct 15 The Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Libya and Nigeria, scheduled for Tuesday in Benghazi, was postponed following a tense standoff between the two nations. The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has pointed fingers at Nigeria for the delay, claiming the visitors refused to play after citing mistreatment upon their arrival in Libya. Their charter flight, redirected while approaching Benghazi, left the Nigerian delegation stranded without access to food, water, or communication with Libyan officials. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) opted to fly back to Nigeria on Monday, stating they felt unsafe and unwilling to proceed with the match under those circumstances. They also apologized to Libyan football fans, blaming the NFF for the confusion that led to the postponement.
Nigeria’s soccer players returned to their country on Monday after boycotting their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Libya because they were stranded overnight at the Al Abraq Airport in Libya
No reception team or vehicles were provided by the Libyan Football Federation, forcing the Nigeria Football Federation to arrange separate transportation. “I strongly condemn the obnoxious treatment meted out on players and officials of the Senior National Team, the Super Eagles. “There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident. Solidarity with my Nigerian brothers.”Togolese legend Emmanuel Adebayor decried the treatment meted out to the Eagles players at the airport. Stand with Nigeria.”Human Rights Watch added, “Appalling treatment of the Nigerian football team in Libya.
The Super Eagles had been due to play Libya on Tuesday in the city of Benghazi, where they hoped to seal a qualification berth for the finals in Morocco late next year. advertisementBut after being stranded for more than 16 hours at an airport 250 km (155 miles) away from their intended destination, the Nigerian players said they would not fulfil the fixture. "Apparently our plane is being fuelled as we speak and we should be leaving to Nigeria shortly." The Nigeria squad were completely stranded in a Libyan airport for over 16 hours and there was NO food and drink available either. (@Football__Tweet) October 14, 2024The Nigeria Football Federation said that as the team's charter flight was descending to Benghazi, it was diverted to Al Abraq International Airport with no alternative transport offered.
The Super Eagles had been due to play Libya on Tuesday in the city of Benghazi, where they hoped to seal a qualification berth for the finals in Morocco late next year. But after being stranded for more than 16 hours at an airport 250km (155 miles) away from their intended destination, the Nigerian players said they would not fulfil the fixture. “As the captain, together with the team, we have decided that we will not play this game,” William Troost-Ekong said on X. Nigeria beat Libya 1-0 in the reverse fixture in Uyo on Friday thanks to a late goal from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, taking them to seven points from three games in their group. Benin have six points, Rwanda two and Libya one.
The president, who was moved by the development, however, welcomed the safe return of the national team players to Nigeria. Tuggar, in a statement posted on his X account, said, “I have been closely monitoring the situation involving the Super Eagles in Libya. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, also condemned the poor treatment of the Super Eagles. The NIDCOM chairman appealed to the Super Eagles to remain calm while NFF decided the next line of action. The Super Eagles on field captain insisted, “At this point, we have called for our Nigerian government to intervene and rescue us.
Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong says his team have been left at an abandoned airport in Libya for more than 17 hours without food or drink. Nigeria’s football team will be flown back from Libya without playing their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match following their alleged “inhumane treatment” in the host nation, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said. The NFF is now making arrangements to fly them back to Nigeria before their match against Libya scheduled for Tuesday. “We were locked up in an abandoned airport for more than 10 hours like hostages.”On Friday, Nigeria beat Libya 1-0 at home 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.
