The Nigeria Football Federation has decided to pull the Super Eagles out of Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.
This follows a 12-hour ordeal at Libya’s Al Abraq International Airport, where the team was stranded upon arrival on Sunday afternoon.
According to the PUNCH, the Nigerian delegation was on its way to Benghazi for an important qualifier when its chartered plane was forced to take a dangerous detour in flight and arrived at Al Abraq airport.
The unexpected detour left the players and officials stranded without assistance from the Libyan Football Federation, which was unable to provide transportation.
In a statement released Monday, the NFF detailed the chaotic situation, explaining that the team remained at the airport for more than 12 hours and failed to reach their hotel in Benghazi, three hours away.
The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya is still at the Al-Ablaq airport 12 hours after landing. The chartered value jet was diverted to the small airport in a strangely dangerous manner shortly after the pilots completed their approach to Benghazi Airport,” the NFF said.
The NFF further stated that the players, fatigued and frustrated, decided not to play in the match.
The NFF supports the players’ decision and is making arrangements to send the team back to Nigeria.
“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the statement concluded.
In response to the situation, Super Eagles captain William Tolsto-Ekong condemned the treatment by Libyan authorities.
In a series of tweets early Monday morning, Troost-Ekong said the situation was “disgraceful,” accusing the hosts of playing “mind games.”
He disclosed that the team is being kept in an abandoned airport with no access to food, drink, or phone connections.
“12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi without reason. They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without a phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games.
“I’ve experienced issues before while playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful behaviour,” he wrote.
Troost-Ekong further lamented over the difficulties faced by the Tunisian pilot, who managed the unexpected change in destination but was subsequently refused accommodation for his crew under government orders.
He added that while the pilot could rest at the airport, Nigerian crew members were not allowed to stay, forcing them to sleep on the plane.
“Even the Tunisian pilot, who thankfully managed to navigate the last-minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land, had never seen anything like this before,” he wrote.
“Upon arrival, he tried to find a nearby hotel to rest with his crew but was denied at every hotel, again under government instruction. He could sleep there, but no Nigerian crew members were allowed. They have now returned to sleep on the plane, which is parked up,” Troost-Ekong added.