Nigeria soccer team boycotts Africa Cup qualifier after being stranded at Libya airport

Nigeria’s soccer players returned to their country dancing and singing on Monday after boycotting their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya where they were stranded overnight at Al Abraq Airport in what the team captain described as “mind games.”

Though authorities in Libya denied it was sabotage, the Confederation of African Football which organizes the competition said it will investigate the “disturbing and unacceptable experiences” of Nigeria.

The Super Eagles were scheduled to play the Group D game on Tuesday. Nigeria won 1-0 when the teams played on Friday, when similar accusations of sabotage from the Libya team came after they were delayed at a Nigerian airport.

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong said the plane was due to land at Benghazi Airport but was diverted at the last minute to Al Abraq some 220 kilometers (130 miles) away.

“The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason,” Troost-Ekong said on X. “They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games. As the captain, together with the team, we have decided that we will not play this game.”

The Libyan Football Federation said it regretted the flight diversion, adding: “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,” it said on X.

CAF said it referred the incident to its disciplinary board which will take “appropriate action against those who violated” its rules.

Pictures posted online by the players showed some of them lying on airport seats, their luggage beside them and with no other passengers in sight. By Monday morning, some of them were asleep.

Nigerian Football Federation spokesman Ademola Olajire said the team spent 19 hours at the Libyan airport and they were prevented from leaving the facility to board the buses that Nigerian officials eventually hired.

“At past midnight, it was learnt that there had been word from ‘higher authorities’ that the Nigeria delegation should be delayed for a minimum of 10 hours at the airport for what they falsely claimed was done to their team in Nigeria,” Olajire said without elaborating.

The Nigerian players and officials eventually resorted to games and music to play down their anger and frustration, he said.

Among the players in Nigeria’s squad were Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat trick for Atalanta in the Europa League final last season and is on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, and Victor Boniface, a striker for German champion Bayer Leverkusen.

English Premier League players Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Taiwo Awoniyi and Wilfred Ndidi were also in the team that beat Libya 1-0 on Friday.

The Libya team accused Nigeria of maltreatment ahead of the first leg, an allegation the Nigerian federation denied.

Libya captain Faisal Al-Badri said they were delayed “from one city to another” for three hours after their bags were searched, and before they were transported on a road trip to the city where the match was played. He had called for “reciprocity.”

Nigeria sports minister John Owan Enoh said he instructed the soccer federation to send a formal complaint to CAF. “This must be on record and thoroughly addressed,” he said in a statement.