Super Eagles set to boycott 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

The Super Eagles squad was supposed to land in Benghazi on Sunday, but their plane was diverted to Al Abraq, which is about 230km away from their intended destination. 

According to a Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official, the travelling contingent was “completely abandoned” and then locked inside the airport building after making arrangements to leave.

Centre-back William Troost-Ekong stated in a post on X, “As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will not play this game.

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 behavior.”

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 fixture in Uyo last Friday. 

Libyan officials claimed they were rerouted to Port Harcourt and also accused the Nigerians of not providing them a bus to cover the 130km journey to Uyo, leaving them stranded for hours. These claims were denied by the NFF.

Promise Efoghe, the NFF media manager, said no reason was given for the decision to divert their plane to Al Abraq on Sunday.

“No 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 alternative arrangements, we were locked inside the airport. It’s like we are in a prison at the airport.”

Striker Victor Boniface said on social media that the squad was left without food, Wi-Fi, or anywhere to sleep, and the Super Eagles account on X posted pictures of players sprawled out on airport chairs. Troost-Ekong described their treatment as “mind games”.

The journey from Al Abraq to Benghazi would take over three and a half hours by road, but Troost-Ekong said the players would not want to travel by that means because of the security situation in Libya. 

The country is split between two administrations – 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 country’s legitimate rulers.

Efoghe said the Nigerian embassy in Tripoli was “handicapped” and could not intervene because of the political situation. 

“We will not accept to travel anywhere by road here even with security. It’s not safe,” Troost-Ekong added. 

“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 [international] football.”

Nigeria won 1-0 when the two sides met in Uyo on Friday and top Group D on seven points, with Libya bottom of the table on one point and on the brink of elimination.

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