Nigeria’s players say they will boycott their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Libya on Tuesday after being stranded at an airport overnight.
The Super Eagles squad was scheduled to land in Benghazi on Sunday, but their plane was instead diverted to Al Abraq, which is about 230km away from their intended destination.
A Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official told BBC Sport Africa that the traveling contingent was “completely abandoned” and subsequently confined to the airport building after making arrangements to leave.
“As captain, we have decided together with the team that we will not play this match,” central defender William Troost-Ekong said in a message on X.
“At this point we have called on our Nigerian government to intervene and save us.
“I have experienced things before playing in Africa, but this is disgraceful behaviour.”
The Confederation of African Football has been contacted for comment.
The situation follows Libya’s complaints of alleged hostile treatment during their visit to Nigeria for the reverse match in Uyo last Friday.
Libyan officials claimed they had been diverted to Port Harcourt and also accused the Nigerians of not providing them with a bus to travel the 130km journey to Uyo, leaving them stranded for hours.
These claims were rejected by the NFF.
‘It’s like we’re in prison’
NFF media manager Promise Efoghe said no reason was given for the decision to divert their plane to Al Abraq on Sunday.
“Not a single Libyan FA official has come to give reasons or provide any clarification,” he said.
“The Libyans made no effort to help. When the NFF tried to make an alternative arrangement, we were locked up at the airport.
“It’s like we’re in a prison at the airport.”
Striker Victor Boniface said on social media that the team was left without food, Wi-Fi or anywhere to sleep, and the Super Eagles account on
Troost-Ekong described their treatment as ‘mind games’.
The journey from Al Abraq to Benghazi would take more than three and a half hours by road, but Troost-Ekong said the players would not want to travel that way due to the security situation in Libya.
The country is divided between two governments: one based in the eastern region, which includes Benghazi, and the other in the west, in the capital Tripoli. Both governments claim to be the legitimate rulers of the country.
Efoghe said the Nigerian embassy in Tripoli was “handicapped” and could not intervene due to the political situation.
“We do not accept traveling by road here even if security is present. It is not safe,” Troost-Ekong added.
“We can only imagine what the hotel and food would be like if we continued.
“We respect ourselves and respect our opponents when they are our guests in Nigeria. Mistakes happen, but these things deliberately have nothing to do with (international) football.”
Nigeria won 1-0 when the two sides met in Uyo on Friday and topped Group D with seven points, while Libya were bottom of the table by one point and on the brink of elimination.
