Nigeria refuses to play against Libya: players held for 18 hours without food

This article was last updated on October 14, 2024

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Nigeria refuses to play against Libya: players held for 18 hours without food

The players of the Nigeria football team are furious and refuse to play against Libya on Tuesday. For about eighteen hours they were stuck in a deserted airport without food, water or telephone service. Nigerian players and media speak of a “hostage situation”.

“This is sick,” writes Victor Boniface on X. “Disgraceful behavior,” says captain William Troost-Ekong. “We have asked the Nigerian government to rescue us.” On Monday afternoon around 2 p.m. (about 18 hours after arrival), Troost-Ekong reported that the selection is about to fly back to Nigeria.

In addition to Troost-Ekong, born in Haarlem and former player for FC Groningen and FC Dordrecht, other former Premier League players were also forced to sleep on airport benches. Among them were Calvin Bassey (ex-Ajax), Chidera Ejuke (ex-SC Heerenveen), Maduka Okoye (ex-Sparta) and Taiwo Awoniyi (ex-NEC).

Plane had to divert

The selection was on its way from Nigeria to Benghazi in Libya to play a match in the African Cup of Nations qualification. During the flight, the Tunisian pilot was ordered by the Libyan government to divert to another airport, Troost-Ekong reports on X.

Upon arrival at the other airport last night, the selection was not allowed to spend the night in a hotel. The team has decided to boycott the international match against Libya.

“It’s just not safe,” Troost-Ekong writes. “The African association must look at this. If they allow this, then Libya can have the points as far as we are concerned.”

According to Troost-Ekong, this is an act of revenge after Libyan internationals were allegedly treated poorly around Friday’s match in Nigeria (1-0). “Mistakes can happen, but these kinds of deliberate actions have nothing to do with international football.”

Revenge?

ESPN Africa quotes statements from Libya captain Faisal Al-Badri. During the first leg in Nigeria, he had complained about the way he and his teammates were treated.

“Our luggage was searched on the plane for an hour and then our transport was delayed by three hours. We were finally transported by three minivans without air conditioning and a police car,” Al-Badri said at the time.

The Libyan Football Association said in a response that the situation at the airport was not deliberately created and asks for the Nigerian association’s understanding. “We strongly refute any suggestion of foul play or sabotage in this situation. We hope this misunderstanding can be resolved with understanding and goodwill.”