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The Super Eagles star wants CAF to punish decisively those responsible for the recklessness that endangered the lives of his teammates.
Rangers defender Leon Balogun has reacted furiously to more revelations after Nigeria's Super Eagles found themselves at the centre of a harrowing experience in Libya, leading to the postponement of their AFCON 2025 qualifier.
The hostage incident has prompted the Super Eagles defender to call for decisive action from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
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11:58 - 14.10.2024
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The Nigerian national team's journey to Benghazi for their crucial AFCON qualifier against Libya took a dangerous turn when their chartered flight was unexpectedly diverted to Al Abraq Airport.
What followed was a 20-hour ordeal that saw the team stranded without adequate food or rest facilities, with no assistance from the Libyan Football Federation.
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Pilot's Shocking Revelation
The situation took an even more alarming twist when the pilot of the chartered flight, Mr Abdul-Latif, revealed the perilous nature of their landing.
In a video statement that has since gone viral on social media platforms, the pilot disclosed:
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"I asked them several times, at least eight times, I warned that probably I will be in trouble for fuel. They said it was from the highest authority, you cannot land in Benghazi, you have to divert immediately to Labraq."
Abdul-Latif further stated that the airport they were diverted to wasn't equipped for landings at that time of day, forcing him to rely solely on visual cues.
He chillingly added that it was only due to his previous work experience at the airport that he was able to land safely.
Super Eagles Star's Call to Action
Rangers defender Balogun, deeply disturbed by these revelations, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to demand action from CAF. Quoting the pilot's video, Balogun wrote:
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"As if what happened wasn't bad enough already - this information from the pilot now surfaced. I urge you @CAF_Online to take strong action against whoever is responsible for this. People's lives were put at risk RECKLESSLY!"
The incident has thrown Nigeria's AFCON 2025 qualification campaign into disarray.
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The Super Eagles left with no choice but to prioritise their safety, decided to pull out of the match against Libya's Mediterranean Knights.
Team captain William Troost-Ekong had earlier voiced the team's frustrations on social media, highlighting the lack of support and the challenging conditions they faced.
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As the football world awaits CAF's response to this unprecedented situation, questions are being raised about player safety and the organisation of international matches in Africa.
This incident has not only affected Nigeria's qualification journey but has also cast a shadow over the broader issues of infrastructure and coordination in African football.
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The coming days are likely to see increased scrutiny of travel arrangements and safety protocols for international matches, as stakeholders seek to prevent any recurrence of such a potentially catastrophic event.
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