The Super Eagles of Nigeria were stranded at Al-Abaq Airport ahead of their return encounter in the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Libya.
As per reports, the team's chartered flight was headed towards the city of Benghazi before it was rerouted to a different location mid-air.
The Super Eagles team and officials departed for the North African state in the early hours of Sunday, October 13.
The treatment of the Super Eagles team and officials has raised eyebrows following Libya's complaint that they were poorly treated on their visit to Nigeria for the first leg.
The Super Eagles defeated the Mediterranean Knights by a lone goal in the initial encounter on Friday, October 11, courtesy of Dele-Bashiru's strike in the 87th minute.
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 Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.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.
— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) October 14, 2024
Been at the airport for almost 13 hours no food no wifi no where to sleep
— Victor Boniface (@boniface_jrn) October 14, 2024
African we can do better @caf
Libya 2022 v Libya 2024
— NPFL Tori Podcast (@NpflTori) October 13, 2024
Enyimba slept in airport for 24hours + after their opponents changed venue without communication (Frame 1/2)
Enyimba were to face Libyas’s Al Ittihad.
Super Eagles held hostage in Libya after they refused plane to land in
Tripoli (Frame 3/4)
They can… pic.twitter.com/2rvxU04wke
My brother Super Eagles, team officials, journalists and NFF officials have been held hostage at some isolated Libyan airport for almost 14 hours without food, sleep or internet connection to speak with their families.
— Dr. Kelechi Anyikude (@KelechiAFC) October 14, 2024
This is a big slap and shame to African football…
What has happened to the Super Eagles in Libya is not mind games or dark art. It's hostage taking & I expect the FG to issue a very strong statement.CAF itself must protect the sanctity of football by coming down hard on Libya.This is 2024. There is no room for barbaric conduct
— Babanla (@biolakazeem) October 14, 2024
The Super Eagles contingent is stranded in Libya, in what is tagged a retaliation by the Libyan Government.
— Falana Adeniyi Obafemi (@adeniyi_play9ja) October 13, 2024
According to the Libyan guys at the airport, they got a directive from higher authorities to delay the Nigerian contingent for 8+ hours at the airport.
This is 2024 o. pic.twitter.com/oyifmKK0BU
