Super Eagles: Kalu slams Libyan FA, demands CAF sanctions

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the Pillar of Sports in Africa, has condemned in strong terms the ill treatment meted out to the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Libya.

Players, coaching, and non-coaching staff of the Nigerian national team were left stranded without food, internet, hotel accommodations, and other logistics for over 11 hours as they arrived in Libya for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the North African nation.

READ MORE: AFCON qualifiers: Super Eagles players resolve to boycott Libya game

The Super Eagles were due to land in Benghazi on Sunday but their plane was instead diverted to Al Abraq, which is about 230km away from their intended destination.

Super Eagles players have resolved to boycott Tuesday’s AFCON qualifier against Libya with the team’s captain William Troost-Ekong taking to X (formerly Twitter) to register he and his teammates’ anger at the treatment meted to them by the Libyan authorities.

“As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will not play this game,” centre-back William Troost-Ekong said in a post on X.

pic.twitter.com/UrMAawFdQb

— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) October 14, 2024

“At this point we have called for our Nigerian government to intervene and rescue us. I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour.”

READ MORE: Super Eagles set to depart Libya after airport delay

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) claimed that “the diversion of their flight was not intentional,” adding that disruptions can occur from routine air traffic protocols, security checks or other logistical challenges.

But Nigerian lawmaker Kalu isn’t buying the Libyan excuse as he sees it as a strategy aimed to further frustrate the Super Eagles and dissipate their energy and enthusiasm ahead of the match.

And he would know, having overseen former African club champions Enyimba for many years during his time as governor of Abia State, between 1999 and 2007.

As a result, he has called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to sanction Libya for treating the Super Eagles with such disdain and disregard.

“CAF must make that decision as quickly as possible to serve as a deterrent to any African country that behaves in such an irresponsible manner,” he noted, in a statement made available to The Guardian on Monday. “These things must be put to a halt forthwith.

“This dishonourable display of lack of class and character must stop henceforth. I condemn this horrible disregard for fellow humans. It is utter shame that the Libya Football Federation could display such a cunning strategy.

“These were the things they cunningly did to Enyimba Football Club of Aba, and I fought against it. CAF must award the three points to the Super Eagles of Nigeria immediately.” Kalu asserted.