28th November, 2012
Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, says adequate security arrangements have been made for Sunday’s final leg of African U-17 qualifier between the Golden Eaglets and the Junior Eagles of Mali in Bamako.
Ademola Olajire, the Spokesman of the NFF, told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that the Nigerian government was already in contact with their Mali counterpart over the safety of the team.
According to Olajire, the crisis in Northern Mali was a source of worry to the NFA.
“However, we have gotten a guarantee from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Mali FA and that country’s sports minister.
“The Mali sports ministry sent guarantee on behalf of the Malian government and we are also in contact with our embassy in Bamako,” Olajire said.
The NFF spokesman pointed out that the squad would leave Abuja for Bamako today, ahead of the encounter aboard ASKY Airliner. He said that the journey would be embarked on through Lagos, Lome and finally to Bamako.
Olajire revealed that the Eaglets’ would play the match under protest just as the first leg encounter which ended 2-0 in Calabar in favour of the Nigerian team.
“We have written to CAF in protest to the eligibility of the Malian players. Those Malians we saw are not U-17, they are above.
“However, you cannot force CAF to respond, but we must play our part which is to protest officially,” he added.
Meanwhile, the African U-17 championship is scheduled to take place between April 13 and April 27, 2013 in Morocco.