Faisal Al-Badri, the captain of the Libyan national team that will face Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Friday in Uyo has alleged poor treatment by their Nigerian hosts.
According to a Libyan news outlet, Addresslibya, Al-Badri claimed on his Facebook page that Nigerian officials frustrated what should have been a smooth travelling experience for the Libyan team.
His statement: “We left the hotel at six in the morning, and the plane took off at nine. The flight took four hours, and thus we arrived in Nigeria at one in the afternoon, Libyan time.”
Continuing, he alleges: “Our luggage was searched inside the plane for an hour, and we were also delayed in transportation from one city to another for three hours, even though we travelled on a private plane, and there was an airport close to the city we wanted to play in.
“We later contacted the company responsible for transporting and securing the mission, but they informed us that there was no police patrol at the time, which increased the risk.
“After a long time, three non-air-conditioned minibuses and a police car arrived, in addition to two cars from the Libyan embassy.”
He pointed out that the mission faced a road full of checkpoints and parking lots, took non-main roads, entered forests, and returned to unpaved roads in complete darkness, “following each other by the lights of vehicles.”
He pointed out that the journey took five hours in an atmosphere full of danger, and arrived at the hotel in the late hours of the night, not to mention the hotel’s conditions.
“This is not the first time we have been maltreated in Africa,” Badri added. “The question is, how long will we continue to receive this kind of reception? While other teams are received in the best airports and hotels, should we always be patient in the face of these things?”
Al-Badri stressed, “We have suffered from this problem for many years, and although we are willing to tolerate it, there must be a solution to these practices. We demand that the relevant authorities look into these actions, and we express the need for reciprocity.”
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
