There was a mid-air scare on Sunday when the chartered flight conveying the Super Eagles of Nigeria and top football officials from Polokwane to Nigeria made an emergency landing in Angola.
The team had departed Polokwane, South Africa, after defeating Lesotho 2–1 in a World Cup qualifying match and stopped over in Luanda, the Angolan capital, to refuel. However, shortly after takeoff from Luanda, the pilot detected a crack in the cockpit window and immediately took safety measures by returning the aircraft to Angola.
Reports confirmed that there was no visible threat to lives, as the pilot safely landed the aircraft, averting what could have been a major incident.
Among those on board were the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Abdul Ningi; and the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusau.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts were underway to arrange another aircraft to convey the players and officials back to Nigeria.
The development explains the delay in the Super Eagles’ return to Uyo, where they are expected to play Benin Republic on Tuesday in a crucial World Cup qualifying clash.
Benin Republic’s national team has already arrived in Nigeria ahead of the game, where they only need a draw to confirm qualification. The Super Eagles, on the other hand, must secure a win and hope South Africa fail to defeat Rwanda in the group’s other fixture to keep their qualification hopes alive.
All players and officials aboard the flight are safe, and the Nigerian delegation is expected to continue their journey once a replacement aircraft is secured.
