NFF Describes Falcons’ Abuja Airport Incident as ‘Unfortunate’

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has described as ‘unfortunate’ the incident that saw players and officials of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons delayed for over three hours at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on arrival from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire early hours of yesterday.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said: “It was an unfortunate incident, because we had our protocol officers on ground at the airport and they did the needful before the team arrived.

“We are a responsible organization and the various National Teams have been going out and returning to Nigeria since these Covid-19 protocols, procedures and guidelines started. We have never been caught napping,” began the scribe of the federation.

He however insisted that since the NFF had no control over the airport Covid-19 protocols, the players were forced to endure the harrowing experience.

“The issue had to do with Covid-19 protocols and we had no control over how things would be approached by the officials in charge at the airport each time. “In this particular case, we fulfilled our part of the requirements. However, some other group of individuals arrived at the same time as the Super Falcons’ contingent and were bent on circumventing the process, and this compelled the health officials to adopt stern measures and even lock up some of their offices.

“It was beyond us, but we have already apologised to our players and officials over this incident,” Dr Sanusi reiterated.

Meanwhile, President of NFF and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick has applauded the gutsy play “and general display of the Nigeria spirit” of the Super Falcons in Abidjan on Wednesday evening which earned Nigeria a spot at this year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations(WAFCON) finals.

Cup holders and nine-time winners Nigeria took a 2-0 win from the first leg, and then survived a blistering first half in which goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saved a penalty kick, to rock the Ivorians with a goal one minute before the end and achieve a 3-0 aggregate win to qualify for Morocco 2022.

Esther Okoronkwo, winning only her second cap, broke the back of the Lady Elephants with an 89th minute goal to confirm Nigeria’s 3-0 aggregate win and passage to the 12-team 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco in July this year.