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Nigeria were poised to take on Libya in return leg in their group D AFCON qualifier fixture but left stranded amid logistical issues.
Nigeria have abandoned their group D Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers match against Libya that was supposed to go down on Tuesday, October 15 at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium in Beghazi Libya.
The Super Eagles travelled to Libya ahead of the return leg of their double-header fixture having won the first leg 1-0 at the Godswill stadium in Nigeria on Friday, October 11.
The West Africans however found themselves in a peculiar position being stranded for almost 12 hours with photos being shared of the players spending the night in the airport's lounge.
The airplane, which was originally scheduled to land in Benghazi was diverted to a different airport.
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Nigerian captain William Troost-Ekong has lashed out at the Libyan Fedration over the ordeal sighting frustration with how his side was recieved.
"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," shared Ekong in a tweet via his X account.
"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."
Ekong has thrown his weight behind the team declaring that they will no longer be taking part in the match, forsaking the points.
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"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," lamented the skipper.
The Libyan Football Federation has however, through a press release refuted any claims of sabotage, sighting that the incident was not premeditated and expressed regret at the unfortunate circumstances.
"While we regret any inconvenience caused, it is essential to note that such incidents can occur due to routine air traffic control protocols, security checks, or logistical challenges that affect international air travel," read part of the press release seen by Pulse Sports.
"There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of deliberately orchestrating this incident. Such actions are inconsistent with our values and principles. We firmly reject any claims that suggest foul play or sabotage in this situation," it continued.
The incident could prove to be costly as Nigeria who curently top group with 7 points could be overtaken by Benin in second place, a point behind them and play Rwanda on Tuesday at the Amahoro satdium.
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