'Too many stories'- CAF president assures action will be taken after Super Eagles hostage incident in Libya

The Confederation of African Football president, Patrice Motsepe has assured that appropriate steps will be taken in response to the Super Eagles being held hostage in Libya during the international break in October. 

The Nigeria national team travelled to Libya for a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match that was due to hold in Benghazi, but instead of reaching the venue of the game, their flight was diverted to a smaller airport in Al Abraq, a distance of around 150 miles.

The Super Eagles players and officials were left stranded at the airport for more than sixteen hours until the Nigerian government stepped in and arranged for the delegation to return to Abuja.

The matter escalated to the extent that the Nigerian government summoned Libya's Charge d'Affairs in Nigeria to know exactly why the Super Eagles players were left stranded at the airport and for that long.

Libya's ill-treatment of the Nigeria delegation was strange because politically there are no differences between the two countries and in terms of football rivalry, there is a stark difference between the two sides.

Speaking at a press conference after the 46th Ordinary General Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Patrice Motsepe emphasized that there are numerous reports of visiting African teams being harassed by host nations and confirmed that the Super Eagles' travel fiasco before the matchday four Afcon qualifier is being investigated. 

In quotes relayed by The Punch, Motsepe said: "It's because when there was this problem with the Nigerian national team in Libya, and I will not comment on that, because there’s a proper investigation.

"But I want to emphasize a principle that we will not tolerate, because this is something that has been going on for quite some time.

"Your national team, let me emphasize, forget about the Nigeria and Libya situation, because that process has been properly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken.

"Too many stories have been told of national teams or football clubs going to a country, and they spend hours at the airport, being asked about documents that don’t exist."

The CAF President stressed the importance of fair play, calling for visiting teams to be treated with respect and dignity.

"But it’s this lack of sportsmanship that has existed and we haven’t taken effective action, but I just want to repeat, we are proud of those nations that treat visiting national teams and football clubs with the respect and dignity they deserve.

"If there are violations of those regulations and those rules, we will take action. "Motsepe concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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