Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has reacted to the ill-treatment meted on the team by Libyan Airport authorities ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in Benina.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Eagles were held hostage by Libyan authorities at the Al-Abaq Airport on Sunday night for over 12 hours.
The team were billed to play hosts Libya on Tuesday in the return leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Nigeria had pipped Libya 1-0 in the first leg in Uyo on Saturday to maintain leadership of Group D, after Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s 86th minute strike off a cross from Moses Simon.
The team have now resolved to boycott the return leg of the AFCON qualifier against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya.
This the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) explained was as a result of the obvious maltreatment by the Libyan government officials who kept and refused to clear the entire Nigerian team at the Al Abaq airport.
Meanwhile, reactions to the inhumane treatment by the Libyan authority have continued to generate reactions from Nigerians with the topic dominating different social media spaces.
The Super Eagles captain who could not hold his frustration about the situation after no end in sight for over 12 hours, bore his thought on the mind games being played by the host, via his X handle.
He wrote: “12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. Libya government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.
“They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.
“I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour. Even the Tunisian Pilot who thankfully managed to navigate the last minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something like this before.
“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 it.
“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 international football.”
Nigeria were billed to face Libya on Tuesday from 8 p.m. in Benina, a journey of about four hours by road from the Al-Abaq Airport. (NAN)
