Osamagbe Imadiyi
The Super Eagles were left stranded at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya for 12 hours after their arrival on Sunday afternoon, and as a result, the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to withdraw the team from Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.
Preliminary reports indicated that the Nigerian delegation was on their way to Benghazi for the pivotal qualifier when their privately owned aircraft was abruptly rerouted to Al Abraq, a tiny airport usually used for hajj pilgrimages. The Libyan Football Federation neglected to provide transportation, leaving officials and players stranded in the wake of the unplanned detour.
The NFF described the chaotic situation in detail in a statement on Monday, stating that the team was unable to get to their hotel in Benghazi, which is three hours away, and had been stuck at the airport for more than 12 hours. The players, who were worn out and angry, have decided not to play in the game, according to the NFF as well. In accordance with the players’ decision, the NFF is currently making plans for the team to return to Nigeria, thereby removing them from the game.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong responded to the situation by denouncing the actions of the Libyan government. Early on Monday morning, Troost-Ekong accused the hosts of playing “mind games” and called the situation “disgraceful” in a series of tweets.
“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 The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi without reason.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.
The Tunisian pilot, who handled the unplanned destination change, was later ordered by the government to provide no lodging for his crew; Troost-Ekong also touched on the challenges this pilot faced. The Nigerian crew members were forced to sleep on the plane because they were not permitted to stay at the airport, whereas the pilot was allowed to rest.