The Nigeria Football Federation has revealed that a cracked windscreen of the chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft that was conveying the Super Eagles’ delegation from Polokwane in South Africa to Uyo, for Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Benin Republic, has delayed the arrival of the players and officials in the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The same aircraft had flown some members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving in the South African city on Friday morning.
However, after a routine refueling stop in Luanda, Angola (where the plane also stopped to refuel on Thursday night, and where the same plane had stopped to refuel to and from Bloemfontein in South Africa for the Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana last month), the aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off, and the pilot did well to guide the airplane safely back to the airport in Luanda.
ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government of Nigeria authorities including the Hon. Minister of Aviation, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff to Mr. President are working assiduously to get the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick the delegation in Luanda and fly them to Uyo.
It would be recalled that the Benin Republic contingent landed in Uyo on Saturday afternoon ahead of the cracker on Tuesday.
