Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), has publicly condemned the treatment of the Super Eagles football team by Libyan authorities ahead of their crucial second leg match scheduled for Tuesday.
Her remarks come in light of the team’s challenging travel conditions as they arrived in Libya.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasized the dangers of road travel in Libya, especially given the country’s current unstable situation.
The Super Eagles, who departed Nigeria on Sunday, faced significant disruptions when their flight was diverted to an airport far from the match venue.
The diversion necessitated an additional three-hour journey by road, raising serious safety concerns given Libya’s tumultuous environment.
“The safety of our Nigerian players is paramount,” Dabiri-Erewa stated, expressing her hope that the Ministry of Sports and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) would take appropriate measures to ensure the team’s welfare.
She urged the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves.
Reports indicate that the Super Eagles, along with their pilots and accompanying staff, endured over 13 hours of being stranded at the airport without access to food, water, or adequate communication.
Dabiri-Erewa highlighted that the team was delayed with no clear explanation from the Libyan authorities, exacerbating the already precarious situation.
The NFF attempted to facilitate alternative arrangements for the team, but these efforts were reportedly thwarted by Libyan officials.
In light of these challenges, Dabiri-Erewa appealed to the players to remain calm while the NFF determines the next steps to address the situation.
Meanwhile, media reports indicate that the Super Eagles have since returned to Nigeria.
In a related development, former Swedish national team coach Janne Andersson has explained why he turned down the chance to become the next coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The 61-year-old tactician who spoke with the Swedish media said that he received two serious offers from Latvia and Nigeria but he chose to turn them down.
He stated that Nigeria was very persistent in employing him as a coach and there were many appealing aspects to the deal offered but the overall situation was not perfect.
