Nigeria’s Sports Minister, John Owan Enoh has stated that Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, are being held hostage in Libya.
The team after arriving Libya for the 2925 AFCON Group D qualifiers on Sunday, were diverted at Al Abaq Airport, hours away from Beghazi, where there their match is schedules to take place.
In a statement on Monday, Owan Enoh, said the team has been left unattended for over 15 hours, without food or accommodation, in a mosquito-infested environment, and cordoned off by Libyan security.
“Enoh who condemned the poor treatment, “I strongly condemn the obnoxious treatment meted on players and officials of the Senior National Team,the Super Eagles who arrived Libya, yesterday the 13th of October for the reverse version of the match played on Friday in Uyo, the AFCON 2025 Group D qualifiers.
“The National Team was en route Benghazi but was diverted on approach the airport(with very scant attention to their safety), to Al Abaq Airport, which is hours away from Benghazi, where their match is slated to take place. All through the night,I have escalated the matter and involved all necessary authorities .
“From the Foreign Affairs Minister, the National Security Advicer, the DG NIA, Amaju Pinnick, our CAF Executive member.I have also remained in touch with both the president of the NFF, who is on ground with the team and the Chairman of Value Jet, owners of the plane that airlifted the team to Libya.
“All hands must be on deck to protect our National Team. The Team have succinctly stated that they have been unattended to for upwards of about 15 hrs since arrival ,with no food ,no accommodation ,left in a mosquito infested environment and cordoned off by Libyan security not to step out of the airport and they have access to nothing.
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“To say the least, they face an almost ‘hostage’ situation. These are sports men set to compete in an AFCON qualifying match come Tuesday! For now,our primary concern is the safety of the members of our national team. With the events of the past hours,their safety is not guaranteed and the team insists they’re unable to go ahead with the match not just because of the trauma and consequent psychological torture but also because of fear for their safety.
“As Sports Minister, I have instructed the NFF president to lay a formal complaint to CAF without prejudice to any actions already taken .This must be on record and thoroughly addressed.
“This morning i was on a conference call with CAF President and CAF Secretary General.While the CAF President’s concern seems to be what to do to get the national team participate in tomorrow’s match,i have instead informed CAF that the concern of the Government and people of Nigeria is first,the safety of the team and their safe return, urging that CAF should focus on working with us to achieve this.
“There must be a serious adverse conseqùence to the Libyan football federation for this unspeakable behaviour. This can not be through insisting that Nigeria still takes part in this match given the very obvious situation,” he said.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
