Osimhen calls out Libya over barbaric treatment of Super Eagles

Galatasaray’s Nigerian footballer, Victor Osimhen has joined millions of football lovers worldwide protesting the dehumanizing treatment the Libyan authorities meted out to the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of the second leg of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Benina on Tuesday.

The Nigerian’s chartered flight was prevented from landing and diverted to another small, obscure and hidden airport and were left unattended to for over 15 hours and without any provision for food, drinks and internet services.

Osimhen, who missed the game because of injury took to his social media page on Monday morning to call out the Libyans.

‘I am disappointed by the unfair treatment that my brothers and coaches faced at the Libyan airport last night. Actions like this are contrary to the spirit of sport.

‘My support is with my team and I know they will stay strong despite these obstacles. I call on CAF and other football bodies to intervene as my teammates and officials are still stranded at the airport in Libya.

‘This is unnecessary and inhumane. We stand together, stronger than ever,’ he wrote.

Another Turkey-based player who was with the team in Libya also voiced out his displeasure and called on the Confederation of African Football to act.

‘I was randomly stranded at a Libyan airport for 15 hours without my health and safety. You can do better,” the Nigerian right-back said, tagging the Confederation of African Football.

The BBC also reported that the plane of the Nigerian National Team, which was on its way to the country for the match against Libya in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers, was landed at Al Abraq airport in Benghazi instead of the airport where it was supposed to land.

Victor Boniface also commented on the Libyans deliberate plan to pay the Nigerians back for the way they calimed they were treated when they came to Nigerian for the first leg last Friday.

“I have been at the airport for almost 13 hours. There is no food, no internet and no place to sleep,’ tweeted Boniface.