Former Nigerian international Osaze Odemwingie has condemned the actions of Libyan football authorities following the Super Eagles’ ordeal in Libya airport.
The Nigerian team was stranded at Al Abaq Airport for 15 hours and subsequently withdrew from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier due to the inhumane treatment they faced.
This situation led the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to withdraw from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Libya.
The Libyan Football Federation issued a statement claiming that they had experienced similar treatment in Nigeria. However, Odemwingie argued that if the Libyans had any complaints, they should have filed an official complaint rather than resorting to extreme measures that endangered the lives of players.
Read Also: CAF scraps Nigeria vs Libya AFCON qualifier after airport ordeal
Odemwingie expressed disappointment in the actions of those involved, stating that such incidents should not occur in football. He believes that the situation escalated due to the involvement of individuals who lack passion or love for the game.
Read Also: Tinubu calls for CAF investigation into Super Eagles’ Libya ordeal
Speaking in an interview with Brila, Odemwingie expressed dismay at the situation, stating that if the Libyan team had felt mistreated in Nigeria, they should have lodged an official complaint rather than risk the safety of players in what appeared to be a retaliatory move.
“It’s a shame to see things like this happen. It’s scary because diverting a plane to another airport is a whole different level. I don’t know who was behind this, but it clearly went too far,” Odemwingie said.
“If they had complaints about how they were treated, they could have filed an official complaint. I’m sure Nigeria, as a country, can address such issues, offer apologies, or provide explanations. But to retaliate like this without explanation was extreme. The main people in football are the players, and I’m sure even the Libyan players are not happy with this situation. Some might even reconsider playing for their country after this.”
The Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, announced the team’s decision to withdraw from the match against Libya following the mistreatment. Despite the withdrawal, Nigeria remains in a strong position for qualification to the 2025 AFCON due to their 1-0 victory in the first leg.
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