The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday made the decision to withdraw the Super Eagles from their scheduled 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya on Tuesday.

The move comes after a frustrating long-hour ordeal at Libya’s Al Abraq International Airport, where the Nigerian team has been stranded since their arrival on Sunday.

According to reports, the Nigerian delegation was en route to Benghazi for the crucial match when their chartered aircraft was unexpectedly diverted to Al Abraq, a small airport primarily used for hajj operations.

The diversion left the Super Eagles players and officials stranded without any support from the Libyan Football Federation.

However, William Troost-Ekong, the Super Eagle captain, has condemned the treatment of the Nigerian national team in a series of posts on X account, sharing pictures of his distressed teammates on social media.

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“12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Lybia after our plane was diverted whilst descending. Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.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,” the captain said in one of his post on X.

See the photos below.

Taofeek Oyedokun is a correspondent at BusinessDay with years of experience reporting on political economy, public policy, migration, environment/climate change, and social justice. A graduate of Political Science from the University of Lagos, he has also earned multiple professional certificates in journalism and media-related training. Known for his clear, data-driven reporting, Oyedokun covers a wide range of national and international socioeconomic issues, bringing depth, balance, and public-interest focus to his work.

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