,,,Libyan authorities bow to pressure, Super Eagles set to return to Nigeria-Nigerian Eye.
By correspondent in Abuja.
Photo credit: Google.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has condemned the treatment meted out to Super Eagles team by Libya authorities ahead of its second leg match slated for Tuesday in the country.
This is contained in a statement signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit NiDCOM, Abuja and a copy available to The Reporters on Monday.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that travelling by road in Libya is most dangerous and totally not advisable because of the current situation in the country.
Photo credit: Nigerian Eye.
She note that the team which left Nigeria on Sunday to Libya for their return match had their flight diverted to an innocuous airport far away from the venue of the match.
The implication of the diversion will now be another three hours of road travel to the main venue of the match, not minding the risk of road travel in Libya , considering the situation of the war-torn country, she said.
Dabiri-Erewa, who said that the safety of Nigerian players is paramount to the country, expressed optimism that the Ministry of Sports and the NFF would advise appropriately.
The NiDCOM DG called on CAF to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves.
Already, the players, the pilots and others on board the flight have been stranded and subjected to inhuman treatment at the airport for over 13 hours without water, food, rest and other means of communication.
“The team were delayed at an airport in Libya for more than 13 hours without any tangible reason,”she noted.
The Super Eagles flight was redirected air borne on Sunday and they were required to travel by road to their destination.
However, there was no provision made for them by the Libya authorities and all efforts to make alternative provisions by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) were frustrated.
Dabiri-Erewa appealed to the Super Eagles to remain calm while the Nigerian Football Federation will decide the next line of action.
Meanwhile,after intense external pressure, the Libyan government has finally agreed to refuel the Super Eagles’ chartered flight and clear airspace for their return to Nigeria.
According to Nigerian Eye, the Nigerian national football team and staff were stranded at Al Abraq International Airport for over 15 hours without access to food, water, or internet. Sports journalist Adepoju Tobi Samuel, known as OgaNlaMedia, reported the news on X, confirming the clearance for their departure.
He wrote, “After pressure from several quarters, Libya has agreed to allow ValueJet Airline to refuel and clear the team for takeoff. Initially, they insisted on a pre-clearance to land in Benghazi first, but the Nigerian Football Federation demanded direct clearance from Al Abraq to Nigeria.”
The Super Eagles are now finally en route home.
Players and officials of the Nigeria national football team, the Super Eagles, are set to fly back from Libya.
This comes after the Libyan government succumbed to pressure from external bodies, to refuel the Super Eagles’ chartered jet and clear their airspace.
The Nigerian players were abandoned at the Al Abraq International Airport without food, water or Internet for over 15 hours.
But they are now enroute Nigeria, as confirmed by sports journalist Adepoju Tobi Samuel, popularly known as OgaNlaMedia.
He wrote on X: “After pressure from several quarters, the Libyan government has agreed to issue clearance for ValueJet Airline to fly and sell aviation fuel to the airline.
“They came with a gimmick to issue a pre-clearance to land in Benghazi first before we fly to Nigeria. The same Benghazi that was busy yesterday.
“The NFF has insisted that the clearance from Al-Abraq airport must be for the team to fly directly to Nigeria.”
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
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