The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has expressed strong disapproval of the treatment meted out to the Super Eagles by Libyan authorities ahead of their 2025 AFCON qualifying match.
She described the situation as “despicable” and a violation of diplomatic protocols, urging immediate intervention by the Nigerian government to ensure the safety and dignity of the players.
In a statement issued on Monday by NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, and shared via X (formerly Twitter), Dabiri-Erewa expressed outrage over the team’s ordeal.
The statement, tagged “AFCON 2025 QUALIFIERS: Treatment of Super Eagles players in Libya despicable,” highlighted the challenges the team faced upon arriving in Libya for their return leg match.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasised that the safety of the players was paramount, pointing out the dangers of road travel in Libya given the current unstable security situation.
“Traveling by road in Libya is most dangerous and inadvisable due to the war-torn state of the country,” she said.
The Super Eagles, who departed Nigeria on Sunday, had their flight unexpectedly diverted to a remote airport far from the match venue, which led to an additional three-hour road journey to their destination.
This detour, Dabiri-Erewa noted, posed unnecessary risks to the players’ safety.
“It is unacceptable that our team should endure this kind of treatment on the international stage,” she added, calling for urgent action by the Confederation of African Football.
“We expect CAF to address this matter with the seriousness it deserves to prevent future occurrences.”
The situation worsened as the players, pilots, and other personnel were stranded at the Libyan airport for over 13 hours without access to necessities like food, water, or even a place to rest.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that no adequate arrangements had been made by the Libyan authorities to accommodate the team.
“The team was delayed at the airport for more than 13 hours without any tangible reason, and efforts by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to make alternative provisions were frustrated,” she said.
Despite the tense situation, Dabiri-Erewa appealed for calm, urging the Super Eagles to remain focused while the NFF and Nigerian government decide on the next course of action.
“The welfare of our players is our priority, and we are optimistic that the Ministry of Sports and the NFF will handle this appropriately,” she stated.
The incident has sparked widespread concern, with many calling for better treatment of African teams during international competitions.
“Our players deserve better, and we will continue to push for their protection and dignity wherever they compete,” Dabiri-Erewa concluded.
