President Bola Tinubu has expressed his deep concern and outrage following the mistreatment of Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, during their ordeal at a Libyan airport. The team was subjected to inhumane treatment by Libyan authorities, prompting the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to withdraw the Super Eagles from their scheduled match.

Upon their safe return, President Tinubu warmly welcomed the players and praised their resilience in enduring the ordeal. He also commended the swift coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, which ensured the team’s return home.

In response to the incident, President Tinubu called for the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Disciplinary Board to conduct a thorough investigation and take action against those responsible for violating CAF’s Statutes and Regulations. He also emphasized the importance of football as a unifying force and urged the football community to work together to prevent such incidents in the future.

CAF has since released a statement confirming that the matter is being taken “in a very serious light.” The organization has been in contact with both Libyan and Nigerian authorities and has referred the case to the CAF Disciplinary Board for further investigation. CAF stated that “appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.“

President Tinubu condemned the unsportsmanlike behavior exhibited by the Libyan authorities and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that Nigerian athletes are treated fairly and justly in all international competitions. The incident underscores the need for strong cooperation in the sporting world to uphold the values of fairness and respect.

This call for justice comes as both Nigeria and CAF seek to hold those responsible accountable and ensure that such incidents do not occur again in the future.