By Dipo Olowookere
The Super Eagles will no longer play the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Libya as earlier planned.
Last Friday, both nations played the first leg of the match in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, with the host defeating the visitor by a single goal to nil.
The second part of the two-legged tie was fixed for Tuesday, October 14, 2024, in Libya, but the Nigerian football team has called off the contest on health grounds.
The Super Eagle claimed the Libyan authorities have treated the players badly, leaving them stranded at the Al Abraq Airport.
It was learned that the Nigerian delegation was to fly to the Benghazi Airport for the match, but the chattered flight to the crisis-ridden North African country’s main airport was diverted to Al Abraq Airport.
The team has remained there for over 12 hours, with no concrete explanation for the delay in taking them closer to the venue of the match.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) alleged that efforts to have the issues resolved have been futile, with the players deciding to boycott the game due to fatigue as they have been without food or water.
According to reports, the team is already making arrangements to return to Nigeria and the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) has been notified of the harsh treatment of the Super Eagles.
“The delegation of Nigeria to Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya still remained at the Al Abraq Airport 12 hours after landing in Libya
“The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport away from Benghazi just as the pilot was completing his approach to the Benghazi Airport. We understand the Al Abraq International Airport is only used for hajj operations.
“Fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from the airport to their hotel, said to be 3 hours away in Benghazi.
“The NFF made arrangements for separate vehicles for the team but the plan was unhinged by the diversion of the aircraft.
“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” a statement from the Communications Department of the NFF on Monday said.
Nigeria currently stays on top of Group D with 7 points from three matches, followed by Benin Republic with 6 points from the same number of games, while Rwanda is on 2 points and Libya at the bottom with a single point from three matches.
Modupe Gbadeyanka