The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, has strongly criticized the Libyan Football Federation for allegedly subjecting Nigeria’s Super Eagles to poor treatment during their trip to Libya for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Players and officials of the Super Eagles were left stranded for several hours at a Libyan airport on Sunday, denied access to basic amenities such as food and internet services. This occurred as they prepared for their AFCON Group D clash with the Mediterranean Knights. The situation was only resolved after diplomatic interventions and social media pressure, allowing the team to leave Libya.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today two days after the incident, Senator Enoh accused the Libyan authorities of deliberately orchestrating the ordeal to sabotage the Super Eagles team.
“The Port Harcourt Airport, where they [the Libyan team] arrived [for the first leg], is one of our best airports. There is no circumstance where players would be lying on the floor. All of these narratives were deliberately created to make it appear like we treated them badly,” the minister said while addressing the allegations that the Libyan team was mistreated during their visit to Nigeria.
He dismissed such claims as false, insisting that if any issues had arisen, they should have been addressed at the time. Instead, he accused the Libyans of trying to fabricate a counter-narrative to justify their actions.
CAF’s Role Questioned
Senator Enoh further questioned the role of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the controversy. He revealed that efforts by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to resolve the situation were allegedly obstructed by CAF’s Secretary General, who reportedly denied the NFF President an opportunity to communicate directly with CAF officials.
The minister expressed frustration at CAF’s delayed response, stating that it took the organization over 13 hours to acknowledge the mistreatment of the Nigerian delegation in Libya.
“I raised CAF’s attention to the fact that after 12, 13 hours, there was still no direct communication with the Libyan Football Federation,” Enoh said. He questioned whether Libya was even a suitable venue to host international matches, given the chaotic nature of the incident.
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Libya Denies Allegations
In response, the Libyan Football Federation denied any wrongdoing, issuing a statement rejecting the accusations.
“We reject any claims suggesting foul play or sabotage in this situation. These actions are inconsistent with our values and principles. Last week, our own national team faced significant challenges upon arrival in Nigeria,” the statement read.
The controversy has since been referred to CAF’s disciplinary board for investigation. In a statement, CAF said it had been in contact with both Libyan and Nigerian authorities, assuring that appropriate actions would be taken against anyone found to have violated CAF statutes.
The Super Eagles, despite their ordeal, had earlier defeated Libya 1-0 in Uyo, Nigeria. However, furious over their treatment in Libya, the Nigerian delegation returned home on Monday, ahead of their fourth-round clash in Benghazi.
With tensions high between the two teams, the outcome of CAF’s investigation could have significant ramifications, not just for the ongoing AFCON qualifiers, but for international football relations between the two nations.
