- The Nigerian team’s flight was diverted by the Libyan authorities instead of Benghazi, the location for the match
- Super Eagles players and coaches are returning to Nigeria after spending more than 16 hours at a Libyan airport.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has initiated a probe into the shocking mistreatment of Nigeria’s Super Eagles at a Libyan airport.
CAF strongly condemned the lengthy delay faced by the team and coaches, describing it as unacceptable, and has been engaging with Libyan and Nigerian authorities.
The African football governing body said it has escalated the matter to its disciplinary board for thorough investigation.
CAF promised to take decisive action against those found guilty of breaching its rules and regulations.
“The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (”Super Eagles”) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities,” the statement reads.
“The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.”
The Super Eagles team was detained at the Al Abaq airport since Sunday evening, sparking outrage, ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match.
In response to widespread criticism, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced the withdrawal of the Super Eagles from the qualifying match on Monday.