By Halimah Olamide
Players of the Nigerian Super Eagles have been locked up in an allegedly abandoned airport in Libya on arrival.The players had arrived tor the second leg of their AFCON Cup match.
The team had departed Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Sunday morning for Libya, ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against the Mediterranean Knights.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Libya on Tuesday in the second leg of the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers.
The Nigerian chartered flight was initially set to land in Benghazi, a city just a short drive from Benina, where the team’s hotel and match venue were.
However, about an hour before landing, the plane was diverted to Abraq Airport, two hours from the original destination.
The Super Eagles Captain, Williams Troost-Ekong, in an X post explained that the Libyan government rescinded their approved landing in Benghazi for no reason.
He further called on the Nigerian government to secure their rescue and announced that they will no longer be playing the game.
He declined having to travel by road even with security as it is not safe and stated that the Libyan team can have the points.
“They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without 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 to 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.“ he wrote.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface in an X post said they had been stranded at the Libyan airport for about 13 hours.
“Been at the airport for almost 13 hours no food no wifi nowhere to sleep. Africa we can do better,” he wrote.