’12-hr Libya airport nightmare’: Nigeria withdraw from AFCON qualifier --[Reported by Umva mag]

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has decided to pull the Super Eagles out of Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.

This follows a frustrating 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya, where the team has been stranded since their arrival on Sunday afternoon.

According to the report by the Punch newspaper on Monday, the Nigerian delegation were en route to Benghazi for the crucial qualifier when their chartered aircraft was ”dangerously diverted mid-flight” to Al Abraq.

It’s a small airport reserved for Libya’s yearly hajj operations.

According to the NFF, the unexpected diversion left players and officials stranded and did not receive any assistance from the Libyan Football Federation including transportation.

The NFF statement conjured up a chaotic situation for Nigerian players and their delegation at the desolate apparently abandoned airport where they remained for over 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, some three hours away by road.

“The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing. The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport just as the pilot was completing his approach to Benghazi Airport,” the NFF statement said.

The NFF said it would support the players’ decision not to play the qualifier due to fatigue and frustration over the apparent mistreatment.

The Nigerian FA said it is currently arranging for the team to fly back to Nigeria, effectively pulling them out of the fixture.

The Libyan Mideterranean Knights national team lost 0-1 to the Super Eagles in the first leg of the qualifier between the two countries on Friday in Uyo.

The Libyan football team and their delegation had also complained of being let stranded at a Nigerian airport for hours.

The Libyan FA and the Confederation of African Football have not commented.

GIK/APA

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