Nigeria refuses to play Libya after spending more than 12 hours in airport detention without food or drink

Unusual situation that the Nigerian football team. The players of the African team refused to play their match against Libya qualify for the African Cup after spending more than 12 hours stuck at the airport.

The Nigerian team had to take a flight to Benghazi to play the match, but in an incomprehensible manner and without notice, they were diverted to Al-Abraq airport, to be detained there without any explanation.

Footballers, who had difficulty accessing their phones and posting messages on social networks, denounced the situation they were experiencing. “This is not football. Very shameful. Hostage of a national team. Shame,” he wrote. Wilfred Ndidi.

Troost-Ékong He came out in his messages and explained the entire odyssey they were undergoing. He noted that they had been “at an abandoned airport in Libya for more than 12 hours after our plane diverted while descending,” adding that the Libyan government had canceled the authorized landing in Benghazi and the had been transferred to another location.

“They closed the airport gates and left us without telephone connection, without food or drink. All this to play mental games,” he said, admitting that although he experienced things like these while playing in Africa, “this behavior is shameful” and he claims that until the “Tunisian pilot” who takes them “has never seen anything like this before.”

To the crew who transported the plane, according to the Nigerian captain, “the government refused access to all the hotels, again on their orders”, saying that he asked the leaders of their country “to intervene and to help us.” “As captain, with the team, we decided not to play this match. CAF must analyze the report and what is happening here. Even if they decide to allow this match to be played,” he said. declared that they would not agree to travel. “Anywhere by road here, even with security, it’s not safe.

They also denounced the treatment they suffered from the Libyans present there, who “have been filming us and laughing with some other staff members since last night.”

Revenge

According to various reports, the Libyan team was very upset by the alleged mistreatment they suffered just a few days ago when they were supposed to travel to Nigeria.

Apparently, they took revenge with their own hands and decided to mistreat and complicate Nigeria’s journey. Given what happened, the footballers refused to participate in the match and decided to return to their respective cities to resume their work with the clubs.