By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed that the Super Eagles’ return to Uyo for Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture against Benin Republic has been delayed following a mid-air technical incident involving their chartered aircraft.
The ValueJet aircraft, which was transporting the team from Polokwane, South Africa, developed a cracked windscreen shortly after take-off from a scheduled refueling stop in Luanda, Angola.
The pilot was forced to return to Luanda as a precautionary measure. The plane landed safely without further incident.
According to the NFF, the same aircraft had previously conveyed part of the national team delegation to Polokwane on Thursday, arriving without issue. The technical fault was detected on the return leg of the journey during the brief stopover in Luanda.
ValueJet, in coordination with the Federal Government and aviation authorities, is working to deploy a replacement aircraft. The alternative flight is expected to depart Lagos, retrieve the team in Luanda, and fly them to Uyo in time for the crucial qualifier.
Efforts are being coordinated by the Minister of Aviation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Chief of Staff to the President to secure necessary overflight and landing permits.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Benin Republic on Tuesday in what is expected to be a pivotal encounter in the ongoing World Cup qualification campaign.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
