The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has responded to claims from the South African delegation regarding their overnight stay in Port Harcourt after their delayed arrival in Nigeria. The NFF's Protocol Chief, Emmanuel Ayanbunmi, clarified that the delay was due to issues with the South African team's chartered aircraft.
According to Ayanbunmi, the South African Football Association had initially informed the NFF that their aircraft would depart from South Africa at 8 a.m. on Wednesday and land in Lagos for immigration procedures before continuing to Uyo. However, the departure was delayed by five hours without prior notification to the NFF.
As a result, when the South African team finally contacted the NFF, less than two hours before landing, they revealed that their landing rights were for Port Harcourt International Airport instead of Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos. The NFF promptly coordinated with immigration and other relevant agencies in Port Harcourt to facilitate smooth immigration procedures for the team.
After completing immigration formalities, the South African team attempted to fly to Uyo but were informed that the Obong Victor Attah Airport operates only from sunrise to sunset, making it impossible for them to land. Consequently, the NFF provided resources for the team to spend the night comfortably in Port Harcourt. Ayanbunmi emphasized that the delay and subsequent arrangements were beyond the control of the NFF and were due to the South African team's delayed departure and miscommunication regarding landing rights.
No comments:
Post a Comment