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The Super Eagles of Nigeria were held hostage for over 20 hours in Libya after their flight was diverted to a small airport.
Super Eagles defender Kenneth Omeruo has strongly criticised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for allowing Libya to host their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on home soil.
Omeruo believes the decision posed significant safety concerns due to the ongoing instability in the region.
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Pulse Sports reported that the Super Eagles were held hostage for over 20 hours in Libya after their flight was diverted to a small airport.
In an interview with Arise TV, Omeruo recounted a similar experience during his time with Nigeria's U-20 team.
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"It was crazy because actually I had a similar situation... when we were playing in under 20 and we didn't know there was going to be a war situation and we flew there to play. By the end, we got out and then we saw on TV that there were riots happening in Benghazi," he said.
Omeruo expressed his disbelief that CAF allowed the games to proceed in Libya, stating, "For me, I think it was a terrible decision. I didn't even know Libya had to play their home games there because I know the country is not at peace until now."
The defender shared his concerns with fellow players like Victor and Awaziem, who also expressed their reservations about the situation.
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Omeruo emphasised the risks involved, highlighting the diverted flight and the potential dangers of playing in an unstable region.
"The crazy one was even diverting the flight. It's so dangerous. It's so dangerous and I'm just happy they are back and they are safe for real," Omeruo said.
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Omeruo called for players' welfare to be prioritised in such situations. He suggested that sending a representative ahead of the team to assess the security situation could have helped mitigate the risks.
"I think it's very important for us as Nigerians to at least have a delegate travel before the game. With that, the players will feel safe and everything will be more organized," he added.
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Omeruo was part of the Super Eagles squad that won the nation's third Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 in South Africa.
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