AFL: Why Enyimba Failed To Get Landing Permit-Morocco FA

AFL: Why Enyimba Failed To Get Landing Permit-Morocco FA

Ibrahim Lateef

An official of the the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Omar Khyari has stated reasons why Nigeria Premier Football League defending champions Enyimba could not secure a landing permit for their chartered aircraft ahead of their second leg African Football League quarter-final game against Wydad in Casablanca, BSNSports.com.ng reports. 

The People’s Elephants had blamed the Moroccan authorities of deploying ugly tactics to frustrate the club in the ongoing African Football League.

Enyimba are saddled with the task of cancelling the 1-0 deficit against Wydad AC of Morocco in the second leg quarter-final encounter in Casablanca, Morocco, by 7.00 p.m. on Wednesday.

As of past mid-night Monday, the People’s Elephants were still stranded at Murtalal Mohammed International Airport Lagos as Moroccan officials failed to give authorisation to the team’s chartered aircraft from the international wing of the airport to land in Casablanca. 

According to Khyari, “For the people who want to know what truly happened and who are seeking for the truth here is the what happened: False information has been relayed by certain press articles reporting a so-called "non-issuance" by the Kingdom of Morocco of a landing authorization in the Kingdom for the Charter Aircraft of the Nigerian club Enyimba.

"Basically, the Directorate of Air Transportation (DTA) received an initial request for flight authorization from Enyimba FC on Monday October 23, 2023 at 12:03 pm.

"After examining this request, the DTA asked for additional information to provide it with the updated AOC and - Charter agreement and information on the GMMN-GMML section of the requested route.

"The additional information was received at "6.40 pm, and the following day at 8.30 am, 8.51 am and 9.36 am", explains the DTA, which points out that the procedure for granting flight authorizations stipulates that any ad hoc requests must be sent 72 hours before the flight is due to take place.

“The FRMF points out that the DTA issued the required authorization once the file had been completed.”