Former CAF Player of the Year Points at One Thing Nigeria Did Right in Libya

Former CAF Player of the Year Points at One Thing Nigeria Did Right in Libya

  • The Super Eagles of Nigeria were held hostage for about 16 hours by Libyan authorities at Al Abraq Airport
  • CAF acknowledged Nigeria's official complaint, postponed the match and launched an official investigation
  • A former African Footballer of the Year has praised Nigeria for one thing they did right during the ordeal

A former African Footballer of the Year has praised Nigeria while pointing out something they did right during the Super Eagles' airport hostage ordeal in Libya.

The proposed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers doubleheader second leg match against Libya did not take place after foul play by the North Africans ahead of the match.

Victor Boniface during Super Eagles' airport hostage ordeal in Libya.
Victor Boniface sits dejectedly at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya. Photo from @WTroostEkong.
Source: Twitter

CAF acknowledged the team's experience and postponed the match until a full investigation by its ethics and disciplinary board is conducted and further actions are announced.

Read also

Libyan outlet claims Nigerian foreign minister sent apology amid imminent CAF hammer

Ikpeba applauds Nigeria's decision

Former CAF Player of the Year and Super Eagles star Victor Ikpeba has applauded Nigeria's decision to walk away from playing the match as scheduled after their ordeal.

“Shame to those who think we should have gone ahead and played this match despite the circumstances because the lives of our players do matter,” he said, as quoted by Score Nigeria.
“No three points are worth our lives.”

Ikpeba had his fair share of experience with the Libyans. He had a dispute with Al-Ittihad in 2003 after the club owed him salaries and seized his international passport.

It took the personal intervention of former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who gave the club a seven-day ultimatum to let him leave Libya to release him from their claws.

Read also

Kenneth Omeruo names who to blame for Super Eagles' hostage ordeal in Libya

“CAF must clean up their act. I still wonder who approved for Libya, a war zone with two different governments, to be hosting international matches,” he added about the Super Eagles’ experience.

He featured 31 times for the Super Eagles. His heroics at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics and for Monaco in the French Ligue 1 title-winning season of 1996-97 won him the CAF Men's Player of the Year Award in 1997.

Libyan player pleads guilty

Legit.ng reported that a Libyan footballer pleaded guilty for his country for the inhumane treatment of the Super Eagles players at Al Abraq International Airport.

Besiktas star Moatasem Al-Musrati’s statement on Facebook explaining why the incident happened is an indictment of Libya that they acted in retaliation.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Elijah Odetokun avatar

Elijah Odetokun (Sports Editor) Elijah Odetokun is a Nigerian sports editor at Legit NG. He has four years of working experience having previously worked at Daily Times Nigeria (August 2020 - September 2020), OmaSports (December 2020 - June 2021), El Futbolero (July 2021; September 2021- November 2021), and Sports Brief (November 2022 - July 2024). He is a press conference and interview specialist and has attended trainings held by Reuters, AIPS, and FIJ. He holds a Bachelor of Agriculture (2021) from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Reach me via elijah.odetokun@sportsbrief.com

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