AFCONQ: Fear, tensions, insults – The NFF reports on the Libyan experience in 20 points

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has detailed the incident in Libya.

The football federation carried out an ordeal of 20 points over 20 hours in this North African country.

DAILY POST reports that Libya in a statement on Monday evening pledged to take legal action against the Nigeria Football Federation for withdrawing the Super Eagles from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

And now Dr Ademola Olajire, communications director of the NFF, recounts point by point how the qualifying match was relegated to a fiasco by the Libyan federal authorities and the Football Federation.

The 20 detailed points of the NFF in their entirety:

“The chartered ValueJet aircraft departed from the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo at 11:55 a.m. on Sunday, October 13, 2024 and landed at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano at 1:10 p.m. to complete immigration formalities and refuel. .

“The plane took off from Kano at 3:18 p.m., on a 3 hour and 35 minute flight to Benghazi, Libya, and is expected to arrive a few minutes before 8 p.m. Libya time.

“Just as he was about to begin his initial approach to Benghazi, the captain (pilot) was informed by the control tower that he could not land in Benghazi (despite having all the required landing papers and has completed all formalities before leaving Uyo and later). , Kano, but would have to go to Al-Abraq International Airport, even though the airport did not have control navigators to land at such times. He complained about running out of fuel, but his words fell on deaf ears, as he was told sternly. that the directive came from “higher authorities”.

“Upon landing at Al-Abraq International Airport, in the small town of Labraq, at 7:50 p.m., it was clear that the airport was not a well-used facility. There were no scanners or the usual equipment for this service, and officials had to rely on cell phones to scan passport data pages.

“The delegation, which included 22 players and team officials; The president of the NFF, Alh. Ibrahim Musa Gusau; the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu; some members of the NFF board of directors; NFF Secretary General, Dr Mohammed Sanusi; some parliamentarians; some NFF management; some media representatives and some stakeholders, showed little respect from the airport authorities who applied short manners and a harsh tone.

“It took over an hour for the team’s luggage to go through the carousel, even though bags and other items had already been removed from the plane upon arrival.

“No officials from the Libyan Football Federation were at the airport to receive the delegation, as is best practice globally. Airport officials could not answer the simple question of where the buses were that would take members of the delegation back to Benghazi (where the NFF had reserved hotel rooms).

“When members of the delegation, including the NFF President, Comrade Shaibu and Dr. Sanusi, attempted to venture outside the airport to check if there were any vehicles waiting for the team, they were arrested in the rudest manner by the airport security personnel.

“Dr Sanusi’s calls to LFF Secretary General Mr Abdul-Nasser yielded no results, as the former promised that buses would arrive in ’10 minutes’, which later became ‘two hours’, and then “three hours”. .’ Later in the evening, it was no longer possible to reach him by telephone. Frustrated by this attitude, Dr. Sanusi contacted the security officers to request that the team be allowed to go out and board the buses that the NFF eventually rented. This request was rejected with insults. It took the intervention of NFF dignitaries to avoid what could have degenerated into an argument since the president of the NFF himself was not spared when he heard the exchange of voices between the security agents and its secretary general. This escalated the tension and further frustrated the team.

“Hour after hour, and with growing frustration, the members of the delegation, especially the players, became agitated. The LFF did not provide food or water, or even where to obtain these items, and there was no network or internet connection at the airport. This quickly increased the level of frustration and anger.

“Around midnight, it was learned that ‘higher authorities’ had received news (Libya is a jurisdiction governed by two different administrations – a UN-recognized cabinet in Tripoli and a self-imposed team in the east of the Libya, including places like Benghazi and Labraq) that the Nigerian delegation should be delayed at least 10 hours at the airport because of what they falsely claimed was done to their team in Nigeria. (All conversations between the NFF General Secretary and the LFF General Secretary about the match in Uyo, both in the form of written texts and voice notes, are still on the NFF General Secretary’s phone).

“The NFF team was shocked because the incident in Nigeria was entirely generated by the Libyans. They informed the NFF that their contingent would disembark in Port Harcourt, not Uyo, just two hours before the team arrived in Nigeria. Despite this, the NFF moved quickly to get the authorities to grant their aircraft movement permit from Port Harcourt to Uyo, but this was abandoned as the LFF apparently did not appreciate the additional fees sent by the company charter. They chose to travel by road, refused to use NFF-hired buses and instead rented their own, and disregarded advice not to travel at night. When they stuck to their weapons to move at night, the NFF provided security. The NFF even provided the team’s training facilities the day after the match and secured a direct flight permit from Uyo to Benghazi for the delegation.

“Infuriated, the NFF president reacted: ‘We expected shocks here given the false version of what happened in Nigeria as told by their team captain. But we didn’t expect these shenanigans. What I see is despicable and has no place in football which is supposed to foster excellent relations between nations and bring together people of diverse cultures, religious beliefs and economic and political interests in an atmosphere of peace and joy .

“The NFF has learned that the Nigerian embassy in Tripoli had written, a fortnight earlier, to the authorities in Benghazi that they would like to welcome the Nigerian delegation upon its arrival. This request would have been rejected outright.

“In a conscious effort to minimize their frustration, anger and hunger, players and officials resorted to playing games, listening to music, chatting, scanning the airport exit gate to see if vehicles had arrived and, in general, they were waiting impatiently. dawn, which they hoped would bring the relief they so sought.

“Numerous calls have been made to higher authorities in Nigeria to inform them of the situation, and these individuals have all expressed fears for the safety and security of the team. These fears were real and justified given the plethora of threats launched by Libyans on legacy and social media in the days leading up to and following the Uyo match. At 2 a.m., Captain William Ekong met with the NFF President along with the NFF General Secretary to inform him that the team may not be able to play the match, due to trauma, fatigue and fatigue. aches resulting from lack of food. , dehydration and very cruel and unimaginable treatment, which led to the illness of some players.

“The NFF reiterated its calls to officials of the Confederation of African Football, the Nigerian member of the FIFA Council, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, and the higher authorities of Nigeria. He sent a letter to CAF in which he detailed the hosts’ antics and hoped the continental governing body would move forward to “punish this rare bestiality which strikes the beautiful game”. He noted that the Super Eagles had traveled hoping to enjoy a great football match, but were left deeply disappointed and frustrated by the unprecedented level of hostility and poor attitude of the hosts.

“At daybreak, Mr. Maurice Eromosele, President of the Nigerian Community in Eastern Libya, arrived with words of empathy from the Nigerian Ambassador to Libya, His Excellency Alhaji Muhammad Muhammad. He said he was shocked by the treatment given to the Nigerian delegation, which had to spend the entire night in the departure lounge at Al-Abraq airport. He said His Excellency ordered him to bring some things to the team and later returned with plastic bags full of croissants and drinks. These served as breakfast for the team.

“Further calls were made and ultimately, all parties agreed that the team should not continue with the match, but return to Nigeria to await the decision of CAF (who have been informed in detail of the situation) regarding UN -match played.

“After spending many hours waiting for the Al-Abraq airport authorities to sell fuel to refuel the chartered ValueJet plane (which initially turned out to be some sort of robotic engineering), the Nigerian delegation left the Al-Abraq airport (which was not worth the detour). “international” toga on all scales) at exactly 3:05 p.m., bound for the city of Kano, and onward to the federal capital, Abuja.