KEY POINTS
- NFF President Gusau vows to defend Nigeria’s dignity after players face mistreatment in Libya.
- The Nigerian football team was stranded for over 20 hours without food or water.
- The Super Eagles boycotted the AFCON qualifying match due to harsh conditions.
The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau, has vowed to protect Nigeria’s dignity and safeguard the welfare of the national football team after the senior men’s team suffered inhumane treatment at the hands of Libyan authorities.
This ordeal occurred during the Super Eagles’ trip for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Libya.
Stranded and mistreated in Libya
The Nigerian team and authorities encountered a startling degree of disregard when they first arrived in Libya. They had no basic comforts and were left stuck at Al Abraq Airport, far from their intended destination in Benghazi.
The players had to go more than 20 hours without food, water, or internet since the airport workers didn’t care about their welfare.
Usually used for hajj activities, the airport lacked the facilities required for a global event of this magnitude.
The Nigeria Football Federation had to set up alternate transportation since the Libyan Football Federation was unable to supply the required lodging and transportation.
Nigeria’s response and boycott
Gusau expressed his frustration during an interview with Super Sports, saying, “We’ve encountered challenges before, but this situation was unacceptable.
The players were kept without basic needs, and it was impossible for them to be ready to perform under such conditions.”
The Nigerian contingent, unable to cope with the mistreatment, decided to boycott the match. Team captain and the players unanimously agreed not to play after enduring the trauma of the ordeal.
According to Punch, Gusau further emphasized that while delays and logistical issues can occur, keeping the team in such conditions was beyond acceptable.
Vow to protect national integrity
Gusau promised that the NFF would act strongly to prevent future occurrences of this kind. He pledged to defend Nigeria’s honor and make sure its players on foreign duty are respected and protected.
He emphasized the necessity for international organizations to deal with these transgressions and stop them from happening again.
