NIGERIA’S football team claim they are being held “hostage” in a locked abandoned airport with no access to food, drink and phone connections.
The Super Eagles are due to play Libya in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier tomorrow night.
However, their Sunday chartered flight was diverted during the descent and they were banned from leaving the airport in chaotic and worrying scenes.
And now Nigeria are refusing to play in the match in protest at the awful treatment, which started more than 12 hours ago.
The stranded squad is understood to include Premier League stars Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi and Taiwo Awoniyi – plus ex-Leicester pair Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Ndidi fumed: “This is not football. Very embarrassing. Hostage to a national team. Disgrace.”
Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface added: “Been at the airport for almost 13 hours, no food no wifi nowhere to sleep. Africa we can do better.”
Nigeria beat Libya at home on Friday and were travelling for the return clash in northern Africa at the Benina Martyrs Stadium just outside Benghazi, Libya.
However, their plane was diverted at the last minute allegedly under Libyan Government orders to Al-Abraw Airport, nearly a four-hour drive from Benghazi.
Libya had complained of their “poor treatment” in Friday’s match where Fissayo Dele-Bashiru grabbed the only goal.
That led to the woeful conditions for the Nigerian players, who were pictured trying to sleep on the seats in the terminal with their suitcases.
Video footage also appeared to show Nigerian football chiefs desperately pleading and negotiating with Libyan airport staff.
Former Tottenham and Watford defender William Troost-Ekong – the Nigerian captain – updated fans with the shocking ordeal on X on Monday morning.
He wrote: “12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Lybia after our plane was diverted whilst descending. Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.
“They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.
“I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour.
“Even the Tunisian pilot who thankfully managed to navigate the last-minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something like this before.
“Upon arrival, he tried to find a nearby airport to rest with his crew to be denied at every hotel again under Government instruction.
“He could sleep there but NO NIGERIAN crew members allowed. They have returned to now sleep on the plane which is parked up.
“At this point, we have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us. ‘”At this point, we have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us.
“As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will NOT play this game.
“CAF should look at the report and what is happening here. Even if they decide to allow this kind of behaviour, let them have the points.
“We will not accept to travel anywhere by road here even with security it’s not safe.
“We can only imagine what the hotel or food would be like given to us IF we continued.
“We respect ourselves and respect our opponents when they are our guests in Nigeria.
“Mistakes happen but these things on purpose have nothing to do with international football.”
Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar stepped in to get involved and help resolve the problems.
Actions like this go against the spirit of sportsmanship… this is uncalled for and inhumane
Victor Osimhen
He revealed a compatriot arrived at the airport at 6am this morning with “necessary supplies and internet access”.
Tuggar wrote: “I have been closely monitoring the situation involving the Super Eagles in Libya.
“The Mission has maintained contact with the NFF, and the Libyan authorities since last night.
“Despite efforts, Libyan authorities have not yet authorised the Nigerian Mission’s trip to Bayda City, where the airport is located.”
Victor Osimhen is not with the squad but also hit out at the treatment of his team-mates.
He wrote on Instagram: “I am disappointed by the unfair treatment my brothers and coaches are facing at the Libya airport last night.
“Actions like this go against the spirit of sportsmanship. My support is with my team, and I know they’ll stay strong despite these obstacles.
“I call on CAF (Confederation of African Football) to intervene, as my team-mates and officials are still stranded at the airport in Libya.
“This is uncalled for and inhumane. We stand together, stronger than ever.”
Players posted various videos from the airport on social media.
And one showed a minibus that was eventually pulled up, likely to transport the team.
However, it is thought the Nigeria squad refused to board.
Libya’s initial anger stemmed from the reverse clash in Nigeria last week.
Captain Faisal Al-Badri claimed the Nigerian Football Federation disrupted their own travel plans into Nigeria.
He said: “We left the hotel at six in the morning, and the plane took off at nine.
“The flight took four hours, and thus we arrived in Nigeria at one in the afternoon, Libyan time.
“Our luggage was searched inside the plane for an hour, and we were also delayed in transportation from one city to another for three hours, even though we travelled on a private plane, and there was an airport close to the city we wanted to play in.
“We later contacted the company responsible for transporting and securing the mission, but they informed us that there was no police patrol at the time, which increased the risk.
“After a long time, three non-air-conditioned minibuses and a police car arrived, in addition to two cars from the Libyan embassy.”
However, the NFF assistant director Emmanuel Ayanbunmi rejected the accusations and insisted he was not made fully aware of Libya’s itinerary because the Libyan FA general secretary “said he would get back to me but never did”.
Ayanbunmi also suggested that Libya refused the NFF’s offer of transportation arrangements and decided to hire buses independently.
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