14 October 2024 , 19:56
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Nigeria’s football team say they will boycott their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya on Tuesday after being left in an airport ‘hostage situation’.
The Nigerian squad was scheduled to land in Benghazi on Sunday – but their aeroplane was diverted 230km away and instead arrived in Al Abraq.
Players were left ‘completely abandoned’ and locked inside the airport – an official from the Nigeria Football Federation has told the BBC – and they were pictured trying to sleep on the seats in the terminal with their suitcases.
Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has now issued a lengthy statement, in which he described the squad’s treatment as ‘mind games’, while striker Victor Osimhen has been left furious and called the incident a ‘hostage situation’.
Troost-Ekong posted on X: ‘As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will not play this game [against Libya on Tuesday].
‘At this point we have called for our Nigerian government to intervene and rescue us.
‘I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour.’
Nigeria’s players were seen sleeping inside the airport terminal (Picture: X)
Osimhen, meanwhile, who was not in the travelling squad, added: ‘I am disappointed by the unfair treatment my brothers and coaches are facing at the Libya airport last night.
‘Actions like this go against the spirit of sportsmanship. My support is with the team and I know they’ll stay strong despite the obstacles.
‘I call on CAF and other football bodies to intervene, as my teammates are still stranded at the airport in Libya. This is uncalled for and inhumane. We stand together, stronger than ever.
‘This attempt by Libyan FA is no longer just a delay. It’s an intentional tactic to weaken and ruin the morale of the players, and it’s beginning to look more like a hostage situation.
‘The safety and wellbeing of my teammates and all the team staff are the most important things right now.
‘Our captain has said we won’t play the match and I fully sport that, except if the game is to taken to a neutral ground.
‘My brothers and coaches must return home safely, we are not criminals or prisoners.
‘I can imagine how terrible they must feel right now, as I’ve had a similar experience during my Under-17 days.
‘This is totally unfair and heartbreaking. Again, I call on CAF, the Nigerian Government and other relevant authorities to act swiftly and ensure their safe return.’