By Amaechi Agbo

Ahead of Wednesday’s CAF Champions League second round second leg clash between Enyimba FC of Nigeria and El Merrikh SC of Sudan, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has petitioned the Confederation of Africa Football, CAF over the arrival antics of the Sudanese club, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

In the letter sent to CAF on Saturday, January 2, 2020, NFF expressed concern that twice the El Merrikh SC had communicated with the federation on its planned arrival via Port Harcourt Airport in River State and Murtala Mohammed InternationalAirport, Lagos; it had mobilised it’s personnel to welcome the team and Accord them the needed assistance and hospitality required of it as the host federation.

However, NFF in the letter signed by the Mohammed Ameenu on behalf of the Secretary General noted that despite not arriving the country as earlier scheduled, El Merrikh has refused to communicate with it on its change in arrival plan.

The NFF therefore appealed to the continental body to prevail on the Sudanese team to make available its itineray before arriving Nigeria to enable it discharge it’s statutory obligations.

Below is the content of the letter

“RE: ARRIVAL OF EL MERREIKH SC IN NIGERIA

Please refer to the above subject in respect of the second Leg encounter between Enyimba International FC (Nigeria) and El Merreikh SC (Sudan) scheduled to hold on Wednesday 6th January 2021.

We write to bring to your attention that El Merreikh SC communicated to us, its schedule to arrive Nigeria on Saturday, 2nd January 2021 at about 1800hrs via chartered flight through Port Harcourt International Airport. Thus, we mobilize resources in readiness to receive the team as scheduled.
However, on 1st January, 2021, we received another correspondence intimating us of its arrival on Saturday, 2nd January 2021 via EgyptAir at about 1345hrs. We deployed vehicles to Port Harcourt Airport and personnel to Lagos Airport in anticipation of the arrival of the team in any of the two entry points.
Uptill 2200hrs of the day, Saturday 2nd January 2021, El Merreikh SC did not arrive in any of the two entry points and did not communicate to us changes in its plans. Thus, we are handicapped as to what to do and where to receive the team.
It may also interest you to know that we have tried various communication channels to reach the team, including through its Embassy in Nigeria but all in vain.

We would very much appreciate if CAF prevails on the team to immediately communicate its movement to us for ease of discharging our obligations and responsibilities as a host.

While counting on your usual cooperation and intervention in this direction, please accept the assurances of the humble regards of the Nigeria Football Federation,” the letter read

Enyimba lost 3-0 away in Sudanese last week and will need to score 4-0 to reach the money spilling group stage of the 2021Chsmpions League