The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has tasked its Disciplinary Committee with investigating what it describes as the disturbing and unacceptable experiences of the Nigerian national team in Libya.
According to its website, CAF contacted the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after being informed that the Nigerian team and its technical staff were stuck in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport where they were allegedly directed to land by Libyan authorities.
The Nigerian team left Labraq Airport on Monday, deciding not to play the match, while media outlets cited Nigerian officials as saying that the team would return to Libya on the day of the match.
The Libyan national football team had been subjected to poor treatment and reception in Nigeria after an arduous journey, as the Libyan national team delegation arrived in Nigeria on last Tuesday evening. The delegation was dropped off at an airport more than 200 kilometers away from the city that would host the match, and they remained for more than three hours at the airport waiting for the bus to take them to the hotel.
The delegation sat on the ground waiting for the bus, before three minibuses were provided, which transported the mission members in difficult conditions in the middle of the forests and stops along the way.
The private car, which carried training clothes, clothes designated for the match, and transporting food, was stolen, as the driver changed his destination without anyone noticing him, which led the Nigerian security to open an investigation in order to arrest him.
The Nigerian national team defeated its Libyan counterpart last Friday 1-0 in the third round of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers. Before the match, the Nigerian Football Federation reported the death of 3 members of a sports channel crew at the hands of an armed gang last Tuesday.
