National Teams
“This is not sportsmanship” – Ahmed Musa reacts to Libya’s ill-treatment of Eagles
By Wale Mustapha
Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, has voiced his outrage over the ill-treatment of Nigeria’s national team by Libyan authorities ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. Musa condemned the actions, describing them as “unjust” and a clear violation of sportsmanship.
The Super Eagles, alongside officials and dignitaries, were held hostage at the airport in Libya for a staggering 14 hours without any clear explanation for the delay.
This occurred as the West African team was en route to their 2025 AFCON qualifying match, leaving the squad and their staff deeply frustrated.
Musa, who was not part of the traveling squad, expressed his disappointment on social media, calling on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to take swift action against the Libyan Football Federation for their unprofessional conduct.
“I’m extremely disappointed by the unjust treatment of the Super Eagles, the NFF officials, and dignitaries in Libya,” Musa posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“This is not sportsmanship, and I want the football governing body, @CAF_Online, to intervene and investigate this incident.”
Musa also showed solidarity with his teammates during this challenging situation. “I stand with the players in this difficult time,” he added.
As a result of the ordeal, the Super Eagles have withdrawn from their scheduled Matchday Four encounter, which was set to take place on Tuesday.
The team and their officials are now en route back to Nigeria, following the intervention of the Nigerian Embassy in Benghazi, which played a key role in securing their safe return.
This incident has raised serious concerns about the conduct of the Libyan authorities, and calls for CAF to take decisive action are growing louder.
