Nigeria and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) may be in for feisty days ahead following the unsportsmanlike treatment of the Super Eagles by their host country, Libya.
 
The development, which saw the Nigerian side abandoned for over 12 hours at the Al Abraq Airport, Libya, and eventual withdrawal in protest from the scheduled African Cup of Nations qualifier, will await a major call by CAF in a manner that will test Nigeria’s mettle in pushing for sanctions and force changes in the continental sports narratives.
 
Within the football fraternity, the Arab nations are infamous for deploying on and off-the-pitch antics to get one over their counterparts, and without severe penalties from the continental soccer governing body.
 
Already, following the team’s return to Abuja last night, President Bola Tinubu has called on the Disciplinary Board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to conduct a thorough investigation and recommend appropriate action against those who willfully violated the organisation’s Statutes and Regulations.
  
It will be recalled that Nigeria beat the Libyans 1-0 in the first leg of their tie last Friday and were due for a second leg of the qualifier in Benina, near Benghazi, today.   
  
As at the weekend, there were signs that the North Africans would play ‘dirty’ in the second leg. They had accused Nigerian authorities of treating their delegation to the first leg shabbily before the game. They alleged being abandoned for three hours at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
   
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) denied the claims, saying that the Libyans abandoned their earlier itinerary sent to the federation to land in Uyo.
 
The drama unfolded on Sunday as Nigeria’s flight, en route to Benghazi, was allegedly diverted to an ‘abandoned’ Al Abraq Airport, which according to reports, is only used for hajj operations.
 
It left the Super Eagles stranded for hours in what seems to be a deliberate effort to sabotage their preparations for the match. Upon landing in Al Abraq, which is an ‘unsafe’ three-hour drive from Benghazi, the Super Eagles claimed they were blocked from exiting the airport due to a ‘glitch in verifying their passports.’
 
The Libyan authorities subjected their luggage to excessive scrutiny, and transportation to their hotels was allegedly blocked. The team was stranded for over 12 hours without access to the Internet and food.
 
The NFF, in a statement yesterday, detailed the chaotic situation, explaining that the team remained at the airport for over 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, which is three hours away.
  
After the experience, the NFF said that the fatigued and frustrated players resolved not to play the match. “Players have resolved not to play the match, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the statement concluded.
 
In a tweet yesterday, Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, described the situation as “disgraceful”, accusing the hosts of playing “mind games”.
He said: “12-plus hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi without reason. They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without a phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games.
 
“I’ve experienced issues before while playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful behaviour,” he wrote. Troost-Ekong also mentioned the difficulties faced by the Tunisian pilot, who managed the unexpected change in destination, but was subsequently ‘refused accommodation for his crew under government orders.  He said that while the pilot could rest at the airport, Nigerian crew members were not allowed to stay, forcing them to sleep on the plane.
 
“Even the Tunisian pilot, who thankfully managed to navigate the last-minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land, had never seen anything like this before.
 
“Upon arrival, he tried to find a nearby hotel to rest with his crew but was denied at every hotel, again under government instruction. He could sleep there, but no Nigerian crew members were allowed. They have now returned to sleep on the plane, which is parked up,” Troost-Ekong added.
 
However, the Libya Football Federation (LFF) said it was incorrect to say there was a deliberate attempt to frustrate the Nigerian team. “We are deeply concerned about the recent reports surrounding the diversion of the Nigerian national team’s flight ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya.
 
“While we regret any inconvenience caused, it is essential to note that such incidents can occur due to routine air traffic control protocols, security checks, or logistical challenges that affect international air travel.
 
“These are standard procedures at airports worldwide, and delays or rerouting, though unfortunate, are not uncommon. We have the utmost respect for our Nigerian counterparts and want to reassure them that the diversion of their flight was not intentional.
 
“There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident. Such actions are inconsistent with our values and principles.
 
“We firmly reject any claims that suggest foul play or sabotage in this situation. It is important to highlight that just last week, our national team faced significant challenges upon our arrival in Nigeria for the third match of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
 
“Despite the difficulties we encountered, we did not make public accusations nor question the integrity of the Nigerian authorities. Football, in its essence, unites nations, and we are committed to upholding the spirit of fairness and mutual respect both on and off the field.
 
“In Libya, we pride ourselves on our hospitality and our welcoming nature. We have always prioritised treating all visiting teams, including our African brothers and other international delegations, with the respect and dignity they deserve.
 
“Hosting these events is a great honour for us, and we strive to ensure that all teams feel safe and respected as our guests. This commitment to equality and hospitality is a core aspect of our culture and tradition.
 
“We hope that this misunderstanding can be resolved with understanding and goodwill. Our doors are open to our Nigerian brothers and all African teams, and we continue to promote the spirit of unity, sportsmanship, and friendship in the world of football.”
 
Reacting to the conflicting claims, yesterday, CAF President, Patrice Motsepe and Secretary General, Veron Mosengo-Omba, asked the Super Eagles to honour the game, while the confederation investigated the situation.
 
But Sports Minister, John Owan Enoh, rejected the request. The minister, who was on a conference call with the CAF President and CAF Secretary General, said the CAF president’s concern was on getting the national teams to play the game as scheduled, but “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.”
 
Eno, like the President, said there must be a serious consequence to the Libyan football federation for this “unspeakable behaviour”.The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, expressed concerns over the “inhuman” treatment of the Super Eagles in Libya and prompted the Nigerian Football Federation to withdraw from the scheduled match.

CAF. in a statement, confirmed that it was taking immediate steps to engage with both Libyan and Nigerian authorities to address the issue. The football governing body also announced that its Disciplinary Board has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances and ensure accountability.

CAF emphasized that the welfare of teams and officials remains a priority and vowed to take appropriate action based on the findings of the ongoing investigation. 

Stakeholders in international relations, however, urged Nigerians to examine the development beyond the prisms of a bookable offence on the field of play. The former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bulus Lolo, drew attention to the prevailing socio-political situation in Libya, which may have taken its toll on the inability of the country’s authority to give the Super Eagles a deserving welcome.
  
Lolo said: “If you start from the angle of Libya as a country today, are the authorities in Libya fully in control of their country? Now, if they are not, then you should expect the unexpected from a country that you know is not fully together.”
  
Lolo added that the issue of authority and sovereignty go together and wondered if Libya is a sovereign state, capable of meeting the expectations of the sovereign states in terms of running and fulfilling their international obligations. 
  
He also raised the question of the flight meeting all aviation requirements and urged Nigerians to enquire if there were issues of clearance for the flight carrying the players to operate into Libya and if there were safety issues, rather than blame on the perceived poor image of Nigerians abroad.
  
“So, what is the reason for diverting them from their destination to where they landed?
  
“Could it also be that the Libyans wanted to frustrate the Eagles, knowing that they have a very tough opponent in them, and they are now playing a psychological game? I would take it from that angle, rather than begin to look for all the diplomatic fallout and the image of Nigeria,” Lolo said.
  
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to get the facts on the ground before arriving at a conclusion, and this he believed, can only be made known after all the consultations with the authorities of both countries.
  
“It is after you have summoned the Libyan ambassador in Nigeria and the Nigerian Charge de’ Affairs in Tripoli and engaged the government at that level that you begin to say, ‘Okay, based on the explanation we have received, this is the reason the flight was diverted’.”
 
Similarly, a retired Nigerian ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Ode, dismissed the poor treatment as an attempt to undermine the integrity of Nigeria as a country.
  
Regretting that over the years, Nigeria has lost a lot of its strength and respect on the international level, he insisted that what just played out in the case of the Super Eagles could be a strategy to weaken Nigerian players ahead of the match.
 
 “What happens in football is what happens also in negotiation. Now, what people do is they take you from maybe city to city, camp to camp or hotel to hotel within the same city to demoralise you and weigh you down so that you don’t focus.
 
“And they could also take you to a field, a football pitch that you are not used to and is rugged, but the local team is familiar with.

 “So, I think that is what happened, not just disregard for Nigeria. I guess they directed them to another city just to weigh them out,” Ode said.
Nigeria is currently leading Group D with seven points after three games, while Libya is at rock bottom with one point.