Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has declared that the Nigerian national football team will boycott their African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Libya, citing severe mistreatment and safety concerns.
The decision follows a harrowing experience at a Libyan Airport, where the team was stranded for over 12 hours after their plane was unexpectedly diverted from Benghazi, their approved destination.
In a statement on Monday, October 14, 2024, Mr Troost-Ekong detailed the team’s ordeal, describing how the plane was diverted during descent after the Libyan government abruptly rescinded permission to land in Benghazi without explanation.
According to him, the aircraft was redirected to an airport deemed unsuitable for landing, where the Super Eagles faced alarming conditions.
“The airport gates were locked, leaving us with no phone connection, food, or drink. It was a clear attempt to play mind games,” Mr Troost-Ekong stated.
The captain called the situation “a disgraceful behaviour,” even by the standards of some of the difficult conditions African teams sometimes face during away matches.
He also alleged that the Tunisian pilot, who managed the last-minute diversion, lamented that he had “never seen anything like this before.”
According to Mr Troost-Ekong, after landing, the pilot attempted to secure accommodations for the crew at nearby hotels, but under government orders, only the non-Nigerian crew members were allowed to rest, leaving the Nigerian contingent to sleep in the aircraft.
He said, “At this point we have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us. As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will NOT play this game. CAF should look at the report and what is happening here. Even if they decide to allow
“This kind of behaviour, let them have the points. We will not accept to travel anywhere by road here even with security it’s not safe. 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 int. football,” the Eagles captain said.
Daily Patriot reported that Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface had earlier expressed his frustration over the Nigerian national team’s treatment upon arrival in Libya.
“Been at the airport for almost 13 hours, no food, no WiFi, nowhere to sleep,” Boniface wrote. “Africa, we can do better.”
The situation has drawn criticism from fans and sports analysts, who see it as a reflection of poor hospitality and inadequate organization in African football.
The Super Eagles were in Libya to prepare for the decisive second-leg match, following a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the first leg held in Calabar, Nigeria.
Background on the First Leg in Calabar
In the first-leg encounter at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday, Nigeria’s Super Eagles edged closer to qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Libya.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s late goal secured all three points for the Super Eagles in a tense Group D encounter.
