Former Nigeria international Kadiri Ikhana says the Libyan Football Federation deserves an outright ban to deter other countries with similar intentions, following the recent hostile reception by the country’s authorities that disrupted the Super Eagles’ arrival and botched an AFCON 2025 qualifying match with the Mediterranean Knights in Benghazi, Completesports.com reports.
It will be recalled that the ValueJet aircraft flying members of Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, was diverted to Al Abraq Airport as it approached Benghazi Airport for landing. The team was subsequently held at the airport for over 15 hours.
Ikhana noted that a national disaster of inestimable proportions could have occurred if the Super Eagles’ aircraft had crashed due to the dangerous diversion.
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Speaking to Completesports.com on Thursday afternoon, the former Insurance of Benin left-back described Libya’s actions in diverting the Super Eagles’ flight and detaining the entire team at Al Abraq Airport for over 15 hours without communication or food as “unacceptable, inhumane, and bizarre.”
“I think the $50,000 fine imposed on them, along with the three-point and three-goal loss to the Super Eagles, was fair. It serves as a deterrent to other countries that might harbour similar intentions.
“The Super Eagles’ plane could have crashed following the diversion if it hadn’t had enough aviation fuel.
“That could have resulted in the death of an entire generation of footballers, and you know how monumental such a loss would have been.
“Considering the gravity of the incident, the fine was a minimal and fair decision by CAF. Otherwise, they should have been given an outright ban for a period.”
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With North African countries known for various tactics to win games, Ikhana, who has travelled widely for football, acknowledged such antics but noted he has never personally experienced anything like it in his playing or coaching career.
“Yes, I’m aware that such antics are common among North African countries, but I never encountered it in my career, either as a player or a coach,” Ikhana remarked.
Ikhana, who will turn 73 on 31 December 2024, won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos after a 3-0 victory against Algeria in the final.
Twenty-three years later, he achieved another historic first when he entered the record books as the first coach to lead a Nigerian club, Enyimba International, to win the CAF Champions League title.
By Sab Osuji
