In an unfortunate turn of events, the Nigerian national football team, led by captain William Troost-Ekong, found themselves stranded in an abandoned airport in Libya for more than 12 hours after their plane was inexplicably diverted. The Libyan government rescinded their prior approval to land in Benghazi, locking the team at an isolated airport without any explanation, leaving the players and crew without basic necessities like phone service, food, or water.
Troost-Ekong, who shared the ordeal on social media, expressed deep frustration, calling it a disgraceful display of behavior. “They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games,” he wrote, adding that this was unlike anything he had encountered before, despite the challenges he’s faced playing across Africa.
Even the team’s Tunisian pilot, who managed to navigate the sudden change, expressed disbelief at the situation. According to Troost-Ekong, the pilot had never experienced anything of this nature. Upon arrival, the crew attempted to find a nearby airport to rest, only to be denied access to every hotel due to what appears to be government instruction. Nigerian crew members were also barred from entering the hotel premises, forcing the team to sleep on the plane parked at the airport.
Also, read; Western Media’s Negative Coverage Costs Africa $4.2 Billion Annually, New Report Finds
“We have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us,” Troost-Ekong said, adding that the team had collectively decided not to play the scheduled game due to the ongoing unsafe conditions. “CAF should look at the report and what is happening here. Even if they decide to allow this kind of behavior, let them have the points. We will not accept to travel anywhere by road here, even with security, it’s not safe.”
The captain emphasized that while Nigeria is known to treat visiting teams with respect, this orchestrated move by the Libyan authorities was entirely unnecessary and had nothing to do with international football. He reiterated that the Nigerian team values respect for their opponents, but such actions were unacceptable.
This situation has stirred frustration across Nigerian football fans and highlights the challenges African teams often face when competing on the continent. Many now await further details from both the Nigerian government and CAF (Confederation of African Football) on how the situation will be resolved.