Ikpeba calls for heavy sanctions on Libya Football Federation after Eagles’ ordeal

By Wale Mustapha

Former African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba, has called for the Libya Football Federation to be banned from international football following what he described as “inhumane treatment” of the Super Eagles in Libya.

The Super Eagles were held at Al Abaq Airport for 14 hours upon their arrival in Libya on Sunday ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against the host country on Tuesday.

The ordeal, which included a lack of explanation from Libyan authorities, led to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officially protesting the incident to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Captain William Troost-Ekong confirmed the players’ decision to boycott the match, as a result of the unsportsmanlike conduct from their hosts.

Ikpeba, who is part of the Nigerian delegation in Libya, expressed outrage over the situation and called for CAF to take strict action against the Libyan authorities.

“If CAF knows their job, Libya ought to be banned from international football,” Ikpeba said in an exclusive interview with Score Nigeria.

“This was a barbaric act, and it shows that the well-being of players across Africa is not a priority for CAF.”

The former Super Eagles star, who represented Nigeria for over a decade, questioned the decision to allow Libya to host international games at home, given the security risks involved.

“This is a high-risk country, and one really wonders who approved for Libya to be playing their games at home,” he said.

“I played for the Super Eagles for 10 years, and I never experienced anything like what we faced in Libya over the last few hours.”

Ikpeba’s comments have sparked further calls for CAF to take decisive action and ensure the safety and dignity of players are upheld in future international engagements.