Sports
Nigerian Igali detained for 8 hours in Congo
In from Nifemi Daniel
President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, got a taste of the kind of hospitality available for unwelcome visitors to conga when he was detained on arrival at the airport in Brazzaville in Congo on Tuesday and only allowed to go eight hours later.
Igali who was detained shortly after he arrived for the ongoing All Africa Games, at about 1.40 pm with four other Nigerians was about undergoing immigration formalities when he was whisked away by security operatives.
Narrating his ordeal, the former wrestler said, “I arrived Brazzaville at about 1.40pm and in spite of my accreditation, I was illegally detained at the airport for seven hours alongside four other Nigerians. I was told that my name was not on the list.
Read also: AAG: U-23 Eagles, Falcons miss out on gold
The Director General of the Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC) sent people and documents, even the Nigerian embassy staff came to help but they refused.”
He revealed that persistent appeals by officials of the Nigerian embassy in Congo and top chieftains of the NSC eventually led to his release.
“My detention is malicious, wicked, dehumansing and unacceptable. After eight hours and with the intervention of top NSC officials and leadership of the Nigerian embassy in Congo, I’m leaving the airport at about 9.56pm. I do not know why such people would be allowed to host a competition of this magnitude,”Igali said.
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