The highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Nigeria and Libya took a dramatic turn on Monday when Nigeria’s squad was left stranded at an airport in Libya for hours without basic necessities.
As the team arrived at Al-Abraq Airport, they were shocked to discover that their chartered flight had been diverted from Benghazi, the original destination.
The players and officials were prevented from leaving the airport, sparking widespread outrage.
- Analysis: Global Outcry: CSOs Demand End to US-Israel War on IranBy Burnett Munthali Over 130 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have called for a permanent end to the US-Israel war against…
- MHRRC, Kadzanja and senior chiefs commend community members for actively participating in community development activities.By Brighton Tchongwe As one way of empowering and promoting community participation in development activities, members of Traditional Authority Chilooko…
- FAM and NBS Bank Under Pressure to Apologize to Lilongwe Mayor Peter Banda Over Charity Shield IncidentBy Suleman Chitera Pressure is intensifying on the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and NBS Bank following public outrage over…
- Malawi joins global talks on economic growthBy Burnett Munthali Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha represented Malawi at the World Bank Africa Group 1 Constituency annual meeting in…
- Malawi Kwacha Devaluation Under Lazarus Chakwera: Economic Strain, Rising Prices, and Public DiscontentBy Suleman Chitera Malawi’s economic trajectory between 2020 and 2025 has been marked by repeated currency devaluations, sharp increases in…
- FDH extends promotion, changes prize destination to MauritiusBy Suleman Chitera FDH Bank Plc has announced the change of the grand prize destination for its ‘Swipe to Dubai’…
- President Mutharika Applauds Standard Bank’s K4 Trillion Investment Plan to Boost Malawi InfrastructureBy Suleman Chitera President Peter Mutharika has hailed Standard Bank Plc as a critical partner in Malawi’s push to modernize…
- Roza Mbilizi Pushes for Fair Tobacco Prices and Stronger Market Regulation to Protect Malawi FarmersBy Suleman Chitera Malawi’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Honourable Roza Fatch Mbilizi, has called for urgent reforms…
- Russia and China Ditch US Dollar: 95% of Trade Now in Yuan and RubleBy Suleman Chitera A major shift is underway in the global financial system as Russia and China significantly reduce their…
“We’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful behavior. Even the Tunisian pilot who managed to navigate the last-minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something like this before,” Nigeria’s captain, William Troost-Ekong, posted on social media.
Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi alleged that the team was being held hostage.
“This is not football. Very embarrassing. Hostage to a national team. Disgrace,” he posted on Instagram.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) quickly sprang into action, announcing that the team would boycott the match in protest.
“The delegation of Nigeria to Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya still remained at the Al-Abraq Airport 12 hours after landing in Libya,” the NFF stated.
Libya had previously alleged “poor treatment” during the reverse fixture in Nigeria, claims that were rejected by the NFF.
However, the latest incident has raised serious concerns about player safety and the organization of AFCON qualifiers.
Nigeria’s victory over Libya on Friday had put them top of their group, six points clear of their opponents.
But now, the postponement has cast a shadow over the team’s progress.
“This is unacceptable and a clear violation of player rights,” said Victor Osimhen, Nigeria talisman. “We stand with our players and demand immediate action from CAF.”
The incident has sparked calls for an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the postponement.
CAF and FIFA have been urged to take swift action to ensure player safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.
