By Joke Kujenya
NIGERIA’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has pulled out of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier against Libya following a grueling 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport.
The team’s chartered flight was unexpectedly diverted mid-flight, leading to a standoff that left players and officials stranded in harsh conditions without basic amenities.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) announced the withdrawal after the players unanimously decided not to proceed with the match due to the treatment they received from Libyan authorities.
The team had departed Nigeria for Benghazi on Sunday afternoon, aiming to prepare for their second-leg qualifier.
However, as their plane was descending to land in Benghazi, the flight was abruptly redirected to Al Abraq, a smaller airport primarily used for Hajj operations.
The pilot, who was initially set to land in Benghazi, had no choice but to comply with the diversion orders, leaving the team stranded miles away from their intended destination.
Team Left Stranded for 12 Hours
Upon arrival at the small airport, the Super Eagles and NFF officials were met with no support from the Libyan Football Federation.
The players and coaching staff waited helplessly, with no transportation provided to take them to Benghazi, which was about three hours away.
The team endured over 12 hours of waiting at the airport, with no food, water, or proper communication facilities available.
Frustration and fatigue set in as the hours passed, and the NFF grew increasingly concerned about the welfare of the players.
NFF Express Displeasure
In a statement, the NFF expressed their dismay over the situation: “The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s AFCON qualifier remains at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing.
The chartered aircraft was dangerously diverted to this smaller airport, far from Benghazi, without prior notice or proper explanation.
The players and officials have been left stranded, with no assistance from the Libyan authorities.”
William Troost-Ekong, the captain of the Super Eagles, voiced his anger and frustration in a series of tweets on Monday morning.
He described the situation as “disgraceful” and accused the Libyan authorities of playing mind games to unsettle the team before the important match.
According to Troost-Ekong, the team was being held in an abandoned section of the airport, with locked gates preventing them from leaving, and with no food, water, or communication.
“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.
The NFF further disclosed that even the flight crew faced challenges.
The Tunisian pilot who navigated the diversion safely was unable to secure accommodations for his crew.
The government prohibited them from staying in local hotels, forcing the Nigerian crew members to sleep on the parked aircraft.
Troost-Ekong described the situation as unprecedented, stating that even the pilot, with years of experience flying in the region, had never witnessed such hostility.
Despite their commitment to the game, the Super Eagles decided that the security risks and poor treatment they were subjected to made it impossible to continue.
The players, led by Troost-Ekong, unanimously resolved not to participate in the match.
The NFF, supporting the players’ decision, immediately began making arrangements to fly the team back to Nigeria, officially withdrawing them from the AFCON qualifier against Libya.
“The players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are now working on getting the team back home safely,” read the statement from the NFF.
Efforts to address the situation with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have so far been unsuccessful.
The NFF filed an official complaint with CAF, providing details of the mistreatment and demanding action from the governing body.
However, as of Monday evening, the NFF reported that CAF had yet to respond to their appeal.
A Recurring Sad Tale
The chaos surrounding the Super Eagles’ trip mirrors past issues faced by African teams during international competitions.
Incidents of logistical challenges, poor hospitality, and deliberate disruptions have marred the football landscape on the continent.
Troost-Ekong, reflecting on his experiences playing away games in Africa, noted that while there have been difficulties in the past, this was by far the worst treatment he and his teammates had experienced.
“I’ve experienced issues before while playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful behaviour,” Troost-Ekong shared in his tweets.
Adding to the team’s grievances, the players rejected buses that were eventually provided to transport them from the airport.
Victor Boniface, one of the team members, described the buses as “Ibakasi” buses—dilapidated vehicles that were unsuitable for a professional football team.
The refusal further deepened the standoff, leaving the Super Eagles stuck in the airport overnight.
The NFF remains adamant that this situation poses a significant security threat to the players and officials.
They have insisted that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) failed in their responsibilities as hosts and that the diversion of the plane was a deliberate attempt to throw the Nigerian team off balance.
With no resolution in sight and the well-being of the players at risk, the NFF concluded that pulling out of the fixture was the only reasonable decision.
Questions to Answer
As the team prepares to return to Nigeria, questions loom over the actions of the Libyan authorities and CAF’s silence on the matter.
Many commentators say the ordeal has also sparked concern about the safety and logistics surrounding AFCON qualifiers, especially when played in politically unstable regions.
Netizens are also saying that he Nigerian Super Eagles, known for their resilience, will now focus on recovering from this ordeal as they await further developments from CAF.
Also, their withdrawal from the AFCON qualifier raises broader issues about the protection of players and officials when traveling for international matches, with calls for CAF to take decisive action to prevent future incidents like this from occurring, as Victor Osimhen expresses his disappointment.
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