The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the Super Eagles will not participate in the second leg of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Libya due to what they termed a dangerous incident at the Al Abraq International Airport in Libya.
According to the NFF, the Super Eagles squad and their officials were held hostage at the airport for over 12 hours after their chartered flight was unexpectedly diverted from Benghazi airport, where the match was scheduled to take place.
The players were left without food, water, or internet connection, and the Libyan Football Federation failed to provide any assistance or transportation.
The NFF expressed its deep concern over the safety and well-being of the Nigerian delegation and condemned the actions of the Libyan authorities.
The decision to boycott the match was made after the players and officials unanimously agreed that they would not play under such unsafe and disrespectful conditions.
“We are extremely disappointed and saddened by this incident,” said the NFF in a statement.
“The safety of our players and officials is our top priority, and we will not tolerate any threats or mistreatment. We hope that the Libyan authorities will take this matter seriously and ensure that such incidents do not happen again.”
The NFF also called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
