How Libya Airport Officials Less Respect Edo DG Philip Shaibu, Others - NFF
https://osazuwaakonedo.news/how-libya-airport-officials-less-respect-edo-dg-philip-shaibu-others-nff/14/10/2024/
#Sports #AFCON #CAF #FIFA #LFF #Libya #news #NFF #Philip #Shaibu #SuperEagles ©October 14th, 2024 ®October 15, 2024 7:38 am Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has given more details why it canceled Super Eagles Africa Cup of nations qualifier match with the Mediterranean Knights of Libya, explaining shortly after the players return to Nigeria on Monday evening that the Airport officials in Libya shown less respect for the players and delegates including a top Government functionary, the High Court reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu who were among the people kept stranded at the Al Abraq International airport. #OsazuwaAkonedo
https://osazuwaakonedo.news/how-libya-airport-officials-less-respect-edo-dg-philip-shaibu-others-nff/14/10/2024/
#Sports #AFCON #CAF #FIFA #LFF #Libya #news #NFF #Philip #Shaibu #SuperEagles ©October 14th, 2024 ®October 15, 2024 7:38 am Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has given more details why it canceled Super Eagles Africa Cup of nations qualifier match with the Mediterranean Knights of Libya, explaining shortly after the players return to Nigeria on Monday evening that the Airport officials in Libya shown less respect for the players and delegates including a top Government functionary, the High Court reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu who were among the people kept stranded at the Al Abraq International airport. #OsazuwaAkonedo
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00:00Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has given more details why it cancelled Super Eagles
00:06Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match with the Mediterranean Knights of Libya, explaining
00:11shortly after the players returned to Nigeria on Monday evening that the airport officials
00:16in Libya showed less respect for the players and delegates including a top government functionary.
00:21The High Court reinstated Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibo who were among
00:26the people kept stranded at the Al-Abraq International Airport.
00:30Nigeria Super Eagles in a news release stated that the players arrived Kando International
00:36Airport on Monday evening after a return flight from Libya that took off around 3.15pm.
00:42NFF's Director of Communications, Dr Ademola Olajiri, in a point-by-point account, narrated
00:49how the anticipated Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match was relegated to a fiasco
00:55by Libyan Federal Authorities and Football Federation.
00:59The statement reads, 1.
01:01The chartered VALUEJET aircraft departed from the Victor Atta International Airport, UNEO
01:06at 11.55 hours on Sunday, 13 October 2024, and landed at the Aminu Kando International
01:14Airport, Kando at 13.10 hours, for the completion of immigration formalities and for the aircraft
01:20to refuel.
01:212.
01:22The aircraft took off from Kando at 15.18 hours, for the 3 hours and 35 minutes flight
01:29to Benghazi, Libya, expecting to arrive a few minutes before 8pm Libya time.
01:353.
01:36Just as he was about to commence his initial approach into Benghazi, the captain pilot
01:42was instructed by the control tower that he could not land in Benghazi, despite having
01:48all the required landing papers and having completed all formalities before leaving UNEO
01:52and later, Kando, but should proceed to the Al-Abraq International Airport, even though
01:58the airport lacked the control navigators for landing at such hours.
02:03He complained that he was short on fuel but his words fell on deaf ears as he was told
02:08in stern manner that the directive was from higher authorities.
02:124.
02:13While on landing at the Al-Abraq International Airport, in the small town of Labraq, at 19.50
02:20hours, it was clear that the airport was not a well-utilized facility.
02:25There were no scanning machines or the usual equipment for this service, and officials
02:31had to make do with mobile phones to scan passport data pages.
02:355.
02:37delegation, which included 22 players and team officials, NFF President Al-Haji Ibrahim
02:43Moussa Boussaou, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Filip Shaibu, a couple of NFF board
02:50members, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohamed Sanusi, a couple of parliamentarians, a couple
02:57of NFF management, a couple of media representatives, and a couple of stakeholders was shown scant
03:04respect by the airport authorities who applied court manners and stern tones.
03:086.
03:09It took over one hour for the team's luggage to roll through the carousel, despite the
03:14fact that the bags and other items had already been hauled from the aircraft immediately
03:19on arrival.
03:207.
03:21No official of the Libyan Football Federation was at the airport to receive the delegation,
03:27as is the best practice globally.
03:31Airport officials could not answer the simple question on where the buses that would take
03:35the delegation members back to Benghazi, where the NFF had booked hotel rooms, were.
03:41Yet, when delegation members, including the NFF President, Comrade Shaibu and Dr. Sanusi
03:47attempted to venture outside the airport to ascertain if there were vehicles waiting for
03:52the team, they were stopped in the most uncouth of manners by airport security personnel.
03:578.
03:58During calls to the General Secretary of LFF, Mr. Abdul Nasser by Dr. Sanusi yielded no
04:05fruits as the former kept promising that the buses would arrive in 10 minutes, which later
04:11became 2 hours, and afterwards, 3 hours.
04:17Later in the evening, it was no longer possible to reach him on phone.
04:22Frustrated by this attitude, Dr. Sanusi approached the security operatives to request that the
04:28team be allowed to go out and board the buses the NFF eventually hired.
04:33This request was rejected with insults.
04:36It took the intervention of the NFF dignitaries to prevent what would have escalated into
04:41a row as the NFF President himself was not spared when he heard exchange of voices between
04:47the security personnel and his General Secretary.
04:51This aggravated the tension and further frustrated the team.
04:5510.
04:56Hour after hour, and with mounting frustration, delegation members, particularly the players,
05:02grew restless.
05:04There was no food or water provided by the LFF, or where to even procure these items,
05:11and there was no network or internet connection at the airport.
05:15This swiftly increased the level of frustration and anger.
05:1911.
05:20At past midnight, it was learnt that there had been word from higher authorities, Libya
05:26is a jurisdiction governed by two different administrations, a UN-recognized cabinet
05:32in Tripoli and a self-imposed team over eastern Libya including places like Benghazi and Labrak,
05:38that the Nigerian delegation should be delayed for minimum of 10 hours at the airport for
05:43what the falsely claimed was done to their team in Nigeria.
05:47While conversations between the NFF General Secretary and the LFF General Secretary on
05:52the march in Uyu, both written text and voices notes, are still in the NFF General Secretary's
05:59phone.
06:0012.
06:01The NFF team was shocked because the incident referred to in Nigeria was entirely generated
06:06by the Libyans.
06:08They informed the NFF that their contingent would be landing in Port Harcourt and not
06:14Uyu, only two hours to the team's arrival in Nigeria.
06:18Despite this, the NFF moved swiftly to get authorities to grant their aircraft movement
06:24permit from Port Harcourt to Uyu, but this was jettisoned as the LFF apparently did not
06:30cherish the additional fee dispatched by the charter company.
06:34They opted to travel by road, refused to use the buses hired by the NFF and instead hired
06:41their own, and disrespected advice not to travel by night.
06:46When they stalked to their guns to move by night, the NFF provided security.
06:52The NFF even provided the team training facility the day after the march and secured direct
06:57flight permit from Uyu to Benghazi for the delegation.
07:0113.
07:02Infuriated, the NFF president reacted, we anticipated some shocks here given the false
07:09account of what happened in Nigeria as narrated by their team captain.
07:14But we did not expect these shillanigans.
07:17What I am seeing is despicable and has no place in the game of football which is meant
07:21to foster excellent relationships among nations and bring peoples from diverse cultures, religious
07:27perceptions and economic and political interests together in an ambience of peace and joy.
07:3414.
07:35The NFF learned that the Embassy of Nigeria in Tripoli had written, a fortnight earlier,
07:41to the authorities in Benghazi that they would want to welcome the Nigeria delegation on
07:45arrival.
07:47This application was said to have been rejected outright.
07:5115.
07:52In a conscious effort to play down their frustration, anger and hunger, players and officials resorted
07:58to playing games, listening to music, chatting themselves up, scanning through the airport
08:04exit door to see if any vehicles had arrived, and generally looked forward to their break,
08:10which the hoped would bring much sought-after relief.
08:1316.
08:14Many calls were made to higher authorities in Nigeria to apprise them of the situation,
08:20and these persons all expressed fears for the safety and security of the team.
08:25These fears were real and justified given the plethora of threats thrown by the Libyans
08:30on legacy and social media in the days before and after the match in Uyu.
08:3517.
08:36At 2 a.m., Captain William Ekong met the NFF President in the company of the NFF General
08:42Secretary to inform the President that the team may not be able to go ahead with the
08:47match due to trauma, fatigue and body aches that resulted from lack of food, dehydration
08:54and very cruel and unimaginable treatment, which had led to some players falling ill.
09:0017.
09:01The NFF repeated calls to officials of the Confederation of African Football, Nigeria's
09:07FIFA Council member, Mr. Amadou Melvin Pinik and higher authorities in Nigeria.
09:13It dispatched a letter to CAF in which it detailed the antics of the hosts and hoped
09:18that the continental governing body would go ahead to punish this rare bestiality visited
09:23on the beautiful game.
09:25It noted that the Super Eagles had travelled hoping to enjoy a great game of football but
09:30had been sorely disappointed and frustrated by the unprecedented level of hostility and
09:36poor attitude of the hosts.
09:3818.
09:39At their break, Mr. Maurice Eromosele, President of the Nigerian Community in Eastern Libya,
09:46arrived with words of empathy from the Ambassador of Nigeria to Libya, His Excellency Alhaji
09:52Mohamed Mohamed.
09:54He expressed shock at the treatment meted out to the Nigerian delegation, who were meant
09:59to spend the entire night inside the departure lounge of the Al-Abrak airport.
10:04He said His Excellency ordered him to get a few things for the team, and he later returned
10:10with plastic bags loaded with croissants and drinks.
10:14This served as breakfast for the team.
10:1619.
10:17More calls were made and eventually, it was agreed by all parties that the team should
10:22not go ahead with the march, but returned to Nigeria to await the decision of CAF who
10:28were briefed in detail on the situation with regards to the unplanned march.
10:3320.
10:34After spending many more hours waiting for the Al-Abrak airport authorities to sell fuel
10:39to refuel the chartered Valuaget aircraft, which was initially proven to be some sort
10:44of robotic engineering, the Nigerian delegation departed the Al-Abrak airport, not worth the
10:49toga of international, by any scale, at exactly 15.05 hours, bound for the city of Kanu, and
10:57onwards to the federal capital, Abuja, NFF stated.
11:0121.
11:02We had reported that the Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to leave Libya after the Nigeria Football
11:07Federation.
11:08LFF cancelled 2025 match against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya following allegation of poor
11:15reception by the host country when Nigeria players arrived at the Al-Abrak International
11:20Airport for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier-friendly match.
11:24There are reports with videos and photographs posted online that Nigeria's Super Eagles
11:29and officials are currently boarding a plane to return to Nigeria from Libya.
11:35Reports indicated that despite Patrice Moshepe, the president of the Confederation of Africa
11:41Football, CAF's appeal for Nigeria to stay and honour the game, the NFF refused and the
11:47friendly match was scheduled to be played on Tuesday.
11:50The Nigeria Super Eagles took the decision not to proceed with their Africa Cup of Nations
11:56Afcon qualifier against Libya's Mediterranean Knights after being stranded for almost 13
12:02hours at Al-Abrak International Airport.
12:05The team's frustration grew as they awaited a flight back home, despite efforts by the
12:11Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to arrange transportation to the match venue in Benghazi,
12:17according to close watchers.
12:19The Nigeria Football Federation said it believed that the delay by the Libyan authorities was
12:24intentional.
12:26A statement by the NFF communications department on Monday said the team were left unattended
12:33to at the Al-Abrak airport.
12:35A video posted by the Eagles' media team also confirmed the development, as the players
12:41and officials, along with their luggage, were left stranded at the airport, with the Libyan
12:47airport officials indifferent to their plight.
12:50The Eagles departed for Libya on Sunday morning, ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
12:58qualifying matchday 4 clash against the Mediterranean Knights.
13:02Libya was to host the three-time African champions at the 10,000-capacity Matthias of Beninna
13:08Stadium in Beninna, located just 10 kilometers from Benghazi, but reports emerged that they
13:14were diverted to another city, according to Channel's television.
13:19The chartered Balojet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the
13:24small airport away from Benghazi just as the pilot was completing his approach to the Benghazi
13:30airport.
13:31We understand the Al-Abrak International Airport is only used for hard operations.
13:37Fatih players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation
13:43failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from
13:48the airport to their hotel, said to be three hours away in Benghazi.
13:53The NFF made arrangements for separate vehicles for the team but the plan was unhinged by
13:58the diversion of the aircraft, the NFF statement reads.
14:02NFF added that the players have resolved not to play the match any longer, as NFF officials
14:09are making plans to fly the team back home.
14:13Nigeria secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Libya at the Gonsu-Apabio International
14:18Stadium in Uyo on Friday after late a strike by Fisayo Dele Basho.