By Meyiwa Ogbitse
Friday, 11th October – The Super Eagles of Nigeria played against Libya’s national football team for the Africa Cup of Nations qualification at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Nigeria. The game ended with the Super Eagles winning the match with a lone goal from Dele Bashiru in the 86th minute, which put the Super Eagles at the top of the group over Benin, Rwanda, and Libya.
In this competition, each team is to play against each other twice in order to advance to the round of 16.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to play Libya for the return leg in their home country on Tuesday, 14th October 2024, but the Super Eagles are considering not playing the match and are willing to forfeit the 3 points to Libya due to the inhumane treatment from the host country. Many consider this a tactic to tire or mentally unsettle the Super Eagles before the game.
The treatment extended to diverting the Super Eagles’ flight to Al Abraq Airport instead of their original destination, Benghazi Airport. The distance between the two is over 200 km, requiring a three-and-a-half-hour journey from where they were staying.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) mentioned in their statement that the Super Eagles were stranded at Al Abraq Airport throughout Sunday night, without access to water or food.
The Super Eagles are more inclined to return home than to continue in the competition and would rather forfeit the match than play after such treatment. Various past and present players recounted similar incidents during such competitions, as this is not the first time such behaviour has occurred.
“This attempt by the Libyan FA is no longer just a delay; it’s an intentional tactic to weaken and ruin the morale of the players,” the Super Eagles’ number 9, Victor Osimhen, lamented on Instagram, claiming he experienced similar treatment during his under-17 days.
“I call on CAF, the Nigerian Government, and other relevant authorities to act swiftly and ensure their safe return,” he added, urging the appropriate authorities to take immediate action.
Bayer Leverkusen star player, Victor Boniface, appealed for his fellow Super Eagles to be brought back to Nigeria, expressing concern for their safety.
“This is getting scary now. You guys can have the points. We just want to return to our country,” he pleaded on his official Twitter account.
Support ACJ UNIBEN's goal of always bringing truth to light.
Excellent campus journalism requires financial support. Yet, it is this very journalism that contributes to an informed campus community, transparency in educational institutions, and an engaged student body. To continue offering free access to top-notch campus journalism, we invite you to consider making a modest contribution to this worthwhile endeavor. Your support for ACJ UNIBEN's campus journalism ensures its relevance and availability to all students, free of charge, fostering an informed and active campus community.
DONATE