The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has referred the fiasco surrounding the botched Libya-Nigeria African Cup of Nations, AFCON, second leg qualifier to its disciplinary committee.
CAF, in a statement on Monday evening, said, “The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the AF Statutes and Regulations.”
It would be recalled that the Super Eagles players and officials returned to Nigeria following an over 12-hour ordeal in an abandoned in out-of-way Al Albraq Airport in the Libyan deserts.
Members of the team, including Victor Boniface, the Bayern Leverkusen striker, likened the experience to a kidnap, and a point appealed to the Libyan authorities to take the three points at stake and just allow them to leave the country.
There were disturbing photos of the football stars sleeping on creaky metal benches in the airport, in what has become one of the worst sporting event receptions.
Team captain, Troost Ekong in an X (former Twitter) post, said, “12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending.
“Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason. They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink.”
The players expressed relief at being back in Nigeria, sharing their experiences and the lessons learned from the ordeal.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has also issued a statement, commending the team’s resilience and highlighting their commitment to representing the country despite the challenges faced abroad.
Fans and supporters are eager to see the team back in action as they prepare for upcoming matches.
In a thank-you message to Nigerian fans, Troost Ekong shortly after the team landed, said, “Just got back to Nigeria with the team. I want to say a big thank you to all the fans for all the support we have been getting.”
He said members of the team did their best to keep their spirit high in the face of the provocating ordeal, stating, “Football is all about respect; that includes respecting ourselves.”
He said the team a stand against going ahead with Tuesday’s feature, adding, “I am proud of the team’s decision and we will be waiting to see what will be the follow up from here and what the consequences are.”
He said the team remained committed to continue their journey to AFCON 2025.
