Newscenter Media News The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has withdrawn the Super Eagles from Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Libya over the harsh meted out to the team by authorities in the North African nation.
According to the NFF in a statement issued on Monday, the Libyans subjected the Nigerian contingent to a hostage situation as they were locked up at the Al Abraq International Airport in Libya for over 12 hours after they arrived on Sunday and unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, which is three hours away.
The NFF said the plane conveying the team had earlier been diverted, leaving the players and officials stranded without any assistance from its Libyan counterpart which failed to provide transportation.
The statement read: “The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing.
“The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport just as the pilot was completing his approach to Benghazi Airport.
The NFF added that the fatigued and frustrated players have now resolved not to play the match and in support of the players’ decision, is currently arranging for the team to fly back to Nigeria, effectively pulling them out of the fixture.
“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the federation concluded.
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The Super Eagles Captain, William Troost-Ekong, also said team would boycott the match against Libya.
In a series of tweets on his X handle on Monday morning, the former Watford defender expressed disappointment over the unfair treatment meted out to the Nigerian team in Libya.
He wrote: “12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason. They locked the airport gates and left us without a phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games.
“I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour. 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 something like this before.
“Upon arrival, he tried to find a nearby airport to rest with his crew to be denied at every hotel again under Government instruction. He could sleep there but NO NIGERIAN crew members allowed. They have returned to now sleep on the plane which is parked up.
“At this point, we have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us. As the captain together with the team, we have decided that we will NOT play this game. CAF should look at the report and what is happening here.
“Even if they decide to allow this kind of behaviour, let them have the points. We will not accept travel anywhere by road here even with security, it’s not safe. We can only imagine what the hotel or food would be like given to us IF we continued.
“We respect ourselves and respect our opponents when they are our guests in Nigeria. Mistakes happen but these things on purpose have nothing to do with int. football.”
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