The Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has revealed that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is pushing for Nigeria’s Super Eagles to play their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya on Tuesday, despite the team’s recent ordeal.
Earlier reports indicated that the Super Eagles were held at the Al Abraq Airport for over 15 hours upon their arrival in Libya, leading the players to consider boycotting the match.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Enoh confirmed that he had spoken to CAF President Patrice Motsepe and Secretary-General Mosengo Omba. He stated that while CAF’s priority seemed to be ensuring the match goes ahead, his main concern was the safety of the Nigerian team.
“This morning, I had a conference call with the CAF President and Secretary-General,” Enoh tweeted. “I informed them that Nigeria’s primary concern is the safety of the team, not participation in the match. There must be consequences for the Libyan Football Federation’s actions.”
The Minister urged CAF to focus on ensuring the team’s safety, highlighting the importance of a serious response to Libya’s behavior before considering the match.