The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has made the decision to withdraw the Super Eagles from their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya, scheduled for Tuesday, following a distressing ordeal that left the team stranded for over 12 hours at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya.
The Nigerian team had arrived in Libya on Sunday, expecting to continue their journey to Benghazi for the crucial AFCON qualifier. However, their chartered flight was unexpectedly diverted mid-flight to Al Abraq Airport, a small facility typically used for hajj operations, instead of Benghazi Airport. This unexpected and risky diversion left the team in a precarious situation, with no transportation or assistance from the Libyan Football Federation, which failed to provide any support.
In a statement released on Monday, the NFF described the chaotic and frustrating situation. The players and officials were left stranded at the airport for over 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, which was three hours away.
“The Nigerian delegation for the 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 said.
After enduring hours of fatigue and frustration, the players made the decision to not participate in the match. The NFF, backing the players’ decision, is now working on arrangements to bring the team 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 statement concluded.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong took to social media to condemn the treatment by the Libyan authorities, calling the situation “disgraceful.” In a series of tweets, he accused the Libyan hosts of playing “mind games” and described the conditions the team was subjected to at the abandoned airport.
“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 The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi without reason.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,” Troost-Ekong tweeted.
He expressed his disbelief at the situation, stating that while he had experienced difficulties while playing away in Africa before, this was the worst.
Troost-Ekong also mentioned the challenges faced by the Tunisian pilot, who managed the sudden diversion but was later denied accommodation for his crew under government orders. While the pilot could rest at the airport, Nigerian crew members were forced 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,” he added.
The situation has left Nigerian football fans and officials shocked, with the withdrawal from the AFCON qualifier now being confirmed as the Super Eagles return home.
SOURCE: http://The Punch
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