Kenyan international David Ochieng has strongly criticised Nigeria for their reaction to difficulties faced during their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualifier against Libya, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Super Eagles had faced delays and poor treatment at Al Abraq Airport, where they were stranded for over 12 hours without food ahead of the second-leg match.
Nigeria had secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru netting a late winner on Friday, 11 October.
The Super Eagles were hoping to extend their lead in the return fixture, but the match was postponed following the logistical issues.
Libya alleged that their actions mirror the treatment their national team faced during their travel to Nigeria.
Ochieng argued that while Nigeria faced unfortunate circumstances in Libya, they had engaged in similar behaviour when hosting visiting teams.
Reflecting on his own experience during a 2014 World Cup qualifier in Calabar, Nigeria, Ochieng alleged that Kenya’s Harambee Stars were denied access to proper training facilities.
Ochieng recalled how the Kenyan team had to train on a local primary school’s grounds and endure long hours on the road before their game.
The match ended 1-1, with Nigeria securing a late equaliser before winning the return leg in Kenya.
Despite frowning at Libya’s hostile reception of the Super Eagles, Ochieng also urged Nigeria to engage in fairer sportsmanship.
“I sympathise with what Nigerian players underwent in Libya,” Ochieng told Mozzart Sport.
“Such shameful events should not be happening in this day and age. It is, however, important for Nigeria to have an honest conversation with themselves on how they treat visiting teams. They have a history of doing it and should change.
“The Nigerian team has the quality to win matches. I fail to understand why they should be embracing some tactics which have been overtaken by time. Football is about friendship and it is time African teams, that engage in such, styled up.”
Nigeria boast an excellent unbeaten record against Kenya in their 14 meetings, winning 12 and drawing two.
Utter balderdash from another inconsequential entity. Nigeria has always been very hospitable to its guests and I do not remember the Kenyan marathon (sorry football) team ever complaining about anything of the sort he is bringing up now. And even if that did happen, is he comparing being asked to train on another pitch to being kidnapped and locked up in the middle of nowhere for almost 24 hours without food, water or WiFi? Worse still, having your plain diverted in mid-air (which could have resulted in a plane crash) and being held up basically at gun point. These Africans and their hatred (jealousy) of Nigerians. May their hatred consume them! I hope the NFF and the government are not taking this matter with a lackadaisical approach as this was an act of terror against Nigerian citizens.
You talk too much nonsense, please if you wanna vex do it on your own n don’t write a paragraph, it’s his own thought not kenya, washa wash/ scam country heal.you pathetic ego. Thieves.
Y9u
Do you have anything else to add to your drivel? I should not respond to an urchin with mental health problems, so I’ll leave it there.
He talks too much. ? You mean you are a lazy loser, who finds it difficult to read a few lines?s?
David ochieng , all this mumu Kenya people , u better shut up that dirty mouth of yours , he are a fool to say something of such , Nigeria is the most accommodating country in the world. I can testify to that as a traveller.
Nigeria and hatred to themselves, lack of true judgement has been the Hallmark of African undevelopmen
One Nigerian guy don collect this one girlfriend
I can’t remember Kenyan playing football i only know them for marathon
I know. Bloody giraffe chasers!
Nigerians aho bageze Kwisi yose batera akavuyo
Not man enough to say whatever you want to say openly? This is what people are saying about kenyans with their inadequacies and inferiority complex
This is an English version of Soccernet website, don’t come here and start writing rubbish in your language just because you can’t understand English properly. Thought kenyans are one of the best literary people in Africa second to Nigeria and south idiot!- Africa
Nobody cares what any Kenyan man has to say about any issues concerning Nigeria. Most are psychologically devastated by inferiority complex towards Nigerians so don’t expect any objective or coherent statements from such. According to some Kenyan ladies, most Kenyan male are so weak and fragile, they worship white people and would sell their mothers to the nearest European. That they whine about practically everything . . No wonder their women are running after white people or other Africans for refuge..
This Kenyan footballer only stated his experience with us while visiting and ended the conversation with an advice to all national teams in Africa. Reading through, there was no hate,so why can’t we learn to accept criticism where necessary and make changes. Ofcourse what the Libyans did was outrageous, but please let’s act with the african spirit of loving ourselves. Telling the truth as it is,is not hate or jealousy.
Well, is he telling the truth? That is the question. Most utterances of these people are driven by sheer contempt for Nigeria. Have you seen the naked envy and hatred displayed by these people on social media? Just do some research and you will understand why most Nigerians don’t care what any these Kenyans has to say.
Thank you for your reasonable comments on this article. May Jah bless you and protect you from any harm in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I am not surprise that such comment is coming from a Kenyan. low life individuals
By the way where is Kenya? is Kenya a country or camp ?which continent do they belong to?.
I laughed, ochieng should be quiet and face.his responsibility .
I hope he will not set his girlfriend or wife on fire because that’s what Kenyans are known for.
I appreciate his comment. Quite exhorting. I saw some comments from some persons who do not agree with him. You can disagree and still be respect. His points were clear. If you disagree, then disprove his points, now his person or his country. As Nigerians we can and should reason better. It is on record that NFF has repeatedly treated visiting teams with less courtesy or dignity. This is unacceptable, African Nations can do better. In fact, our local league is not popular with the populace for many reasons of which this is one. Football is about camaraderie, it’s not a do or die affair. Strive to win, but win with dignity.
There is no room for “A tit-for-tat” in sport, such action is barbaric, jungle justice and dangerous to sport game anywhere in the world. The appalling videos of the inhumane and inhuman treatment of the super eagles in Libya should not be justified at all regardless. However if anyone feels Nigeria treated others badly logistically in the past, one would have expected that such country or football association to have made an official complaint to CAF and not take the law into your hands. We have disciplinary section in CAF who handles such maltreatment. Libya or any country does not have the legal authority to discipline others. What they did is shameful, vile and reprehensible.
You don’t jettisoned or replace CAF’s functions and authorities. Libya is not CAF and should not be carrying out the functions of CAF.
We must learn to channel our complaints to the right institution. We must desist from unlawful act of barbarism that is unhealthy to our brotherhood and capable of causing anarchy, lawlessness and confusion in sport.
Finally, no place for “A tit-for-tat” in sport, if you are maltreated in the game, then report to CAF.
Reading in between the lines, I think the intent of the Kenyan player is to cleverly weaken the claim of ill treatment meted out to the Super Eagles of Nigeria. This is because despite the weighty evidences against the Libyan Football Federation, the player focused more on accusing Nigeria FF of having a habit of treating visiting teams badly in order to win games. He went further to dig up an incident of 10 years ago to justify his claim but failed to explain the circumstance that led to it.
He stated that the then Kenyan team endured long hours on the road before their game, the same claim put forward by the Libyan team even when they were the ones who opted to travel by road. The fact that those claims were not escalated to CAF at the time they were allegedly done suggests that they lack merits.
While urging the NFF to improve in all areas, I think It is time we went beyond envy and parochial sentiment, but unanimously condem in strong terms the inhumane treatment of the Nigerian Super Eagles by the Libyan authorities. The Super Eagles by the grace of God weathered the storm without casualties but who knows what could happen in the future if authorities are allowed to continue to play with human lives.
Reading in between the lines, I think the intent of the Kenyan player is to cleverly weaken the claim of ill treatment meted out to the Super Eagles of Nigeria. This is because despite the weighty evidences against the Libyan Football Federation, the player focused more on accusing Nigeria FF of having a habit of treating visiting teams badly in order to win games. He went further to dig up an incident of 10 years ago to justify his claim but failed to explain the circumstance that led to it.
He stated that the then Kenyan team endured long hours on the road before their game, the same claim put forward by the Libyan team even when they were the ones who opted to travel by road. The fact that those claims were not escalated to CAF at the time they were allegedly done suggests that they lack merits.
While urging the NFF to improve in all areas, I think It is time we went beyond envy and parochial sentiment, but unanimously condem in strong terms the inhumane treatment of the Nigerian Super Eagles by the Libyan authorities. The Super Eagles by the grace of God weathered the storm without casualties but who knows what could happen in the future if authorities are allowed to continue to play with human lives.
Hello AFRICA ! These ways of bad treatments to the visiting soccer teams is CHAMPIONNED by all Maghrebians country in Africa . But the CAF had never punished them , and kept turning his eyes and ears to the sides ; that’s why these bad sportsmanships were extended to the deep center and west Africa. As a Togolese , the Eperviers is used to that . And that must end now ! Africans teams are not going far in World cup , because they are earning their tickets to the big stages by cheating via these lawlessness sportsmanships , or bribed and fake referees , while the CAF official always turned on their blind eyes . It’s 2024 ; it MUST CHANGE NOW !
@Frederick Aigbogun what an responsible answer to what the David Ochieng said. He did not support Libya but trying to remind my country Nigeria no 1 corrupt country in Africa of their responsibility whenever they host other countries.
Why would this Frederick idiot talk about sad incident that happened to innocent woman. Worst happened in Nigeria and still happening. Kidnappers, terrorist, armed robbers killing innocent people.
Lets not abuse person or country please. Talk to how corrupt leaders to be nice to foreign sporys men and women.
Dirty tactics is the lifeblood of all west African football nations, ask any club, nation that have played them they will testify. No wonder they don’t get far in international games. A bunch of crooks. it’s high time they become profession full of ego for nothing. copy Europe, South America etc where professionalism and ethic prevail and see what they have achieved. look into yourselves shame on you can’t even treat fellow Africans with humility all you think is dirty tactics. Libya was right it’s long overdue. They had the balls to show the whole world that enough is enough it’s time to play soccer not political gimmicks. Well done Libya we are sick and tired of west Africans.
So whose citizens are playing in the top leagues all over Europe and America? Kenya? Libya? You guys are losers
carry your hatred your self
you Nigerians shut up what you did to Libyans moving them more than 500 kilometers on jungle roads the whole day then stealing their belongings your team deserves what treatment they got in Libya thanks they never let gangsters prey on them at the airport
you harvested what you planted and now you have audacity to claim victim
teach yourself good behaviors especially with those mandated in dealing with foreign dignitaries so as to get respect from others your reputation worldwide is either conning or practice witchcraft or drug dealers in some of your people who were expelled from many African countries including Kenya
You are right man . I saw a documentary on the slums all over Kenya. If any Nigerian decides to leave his country to go and reside in that open sewer called Kenya or any other sht-hole allover Africa, he deserves whatever the sewer-rats are dishing out to him.
Ochieng sounds like a Chinese name, please when did Kenya start playing football, who is that John the baptist from the wilderness?
The hatred and envy some fellow Africans display towards Nigeria and Nigerian is mind-boggling. Kenya, South Africa and even Ghana… They try to label us all as criminals, even though they know it is not true. It is that “crabs in the bucket” syndrome that other folks like the Europeans and Asians said Africans suffer from.
The reactions of Nigerians in the comments section shows the mindset of a lot of Nigerians is full of hatred. The youths should unlearn the hatred habit, arrogant and insultive thoughts and words which the politicians have taught them otherwise they would remain backwards for ever. No country can develop when the majority live in hate.
What Ochieng is saying is true it happened in 2014 mistreatment of our football team but we still managed a draw in that hostile country we call Nigeria.Have you ever ask yourselves why many of you are in Kenya because we are humble and friendly people.But you drug dealers,wash wash and conmen have brought a lot of mess in Kenya.its better you remain in your country of Boko Haram,we don’t need you here
So we are the one hating you now? . Why? But you are the people trolling us and obsessed with everything Nigerian? We could care less if a cesspool called Kenya exists or not. Like somebody said, any Nigerian living in that big cesspit called Kenya deserves whatever he gets from you.
Why every Africans are envious of Nigerians?
Nigerians is a great nation. Everyone wants to comment on subjects without findings.
Nigerians treat every visitor with top-notch hospitality. we have the best human capital and resources across the globe. who are the rest of Africans.
jealousy will kill anyone trying to destroy the image of the giant of Africa.