CAF enters Libya-Nigeria match crisis

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Monday announced that it has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Nigeria-Libya match scheduled for Tuesday as part of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Morocco.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed that representatives of the Nigerian national team were subjected to ill-treatment and inhumane treatment in Libya.

According to the official CAF website: “CAF has contacted the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after being informed that the Nigerian national team and its technical staff were stranded for several hours in worrying conditions at the airport where they were allegedly ordered to land by the Libyan authorities.

The federation added that it will refer the matter “to the Disciplinary Committee for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against all violators of the rules.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday announced it would deport members of the national team over “inhumane treatment” in Libya on the eve of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“The players have decided not to play and the NFF officials are making arrangements for the players to return home,” said Ademola Olajiri, the NFF’s communications director.

He also said he had lodged a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The Nigerian team were stuck at Libya’s Labraq airport for about 15 hours after a chartered flight that was due to land at Benghazi airport was diverted to Labraq.

Nigeria had topped the group after beating Libya 1-0 in the first leg on Friday, taking seven points from three matches.

Nigeria’s sports minister, John Enoh, condemned the incident.

The Libyan Football Federation said that “the safety of the national team” was its top priority, noting that “the mission was left for more than 15 hours after its arrival without food or accommodation, left in an environment full of mosquitoes, and prevented from leaving the airport by Libyan security.”

In response, the Libyan Football Federation issued an official statement on its Xbox account: “We express our concern regarding the circulating reports regarding the diversion of the Nigerian team’s flight.”

‘We apologize for any inconvenience caused and would like to emphasize that this situation may have been the result of routine protocols related to air traffic control.

‘We are open to our Nigerian brothers and all African teams and will continue to promote the spirit of unity, sportsmanship and friendship in the world of football.’

‘We in Libya believe that sports promote unity and brotherhood among peoples,’ it continued.