Di Super Eagles of Nigeria say dem fit no play di 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match wey dem get with Libya on Tuesday for di Benina Martyrs stadium, Benghazi, Captain of di team William Troost-Ekong tok.
Dis na afta di Libyan authorities force dia flight to land for Abraq Airport instead of di Benghazi airport wia dem bin dey scheduled to land, according to di Nigeria Football Federation.
Ekong for im post for X tok say dem don wait for di airport for over 12 hours without food and drink.
“At dis point we don call for our Nigerian goment to intervene and rescue us. As di captain togeda wit di team we don decide say we no go play dis game,” Troost-Ekong tok.
E say make CAF chook eye for di report and wetin dey happun. “Even if dem decide to allow dis kind of behaviour, make dem collect di points.”
“We no go accept to travel anywia by road for hia even with security e no dey safe. We go only fit imagine di kain hotel or food wey dem go give us even if we kontinu.”
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Di two kontris bin meet each oda on 11 October , 2024 for di first leg for di Caf qualifiers for di Godswill Akpabio International stadium, Uyo – wey bin end for a narrow one nil win for Nigeria.
Dem suppose play dis important return leg match on Tuesday but di players say dem no go play again.
Videos and fotos wey NFF release for social media show as di Super Eagles players sidon for di airport in groups dey gist afta di more dan 12 hours flight from Nigeria to Libya.
Authorities say di team gatz travel anoda three to four hours by road from Abraq to Banghazi wia di match suppose hold.
Di Libya football federation also bin complain of how Nigeria authorities bin keep dem for hours wen dem land for di kontri for di first leg encounter.
E neva clear if dis na revenge or normal logistics problem.
Wetin we know about di situation
According to Troost-Ekong dem keep dem for over 12 hours for one abandoned airport as im narrate weyin di Super Eagles pass through.
“Twelve plus hours for abandoned airport for Libya afta our plane bin divert wen e dey land.
“Libyan goment bin no approve our landing for Benghazi wit reason. Dem don lock di airport gates and leave us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.
“I bin don experience dis kain stuff bifor wen we dey play away for Africa but dis one na disgraceful behaviour.
“Even di Tunisian Pilot wey thankfully manage to drive sake of di last minute change to one airport wey no dey good for our plane to land neva see dis kain tin bifor.” Ekong for im post tok say ” make dem take di points”.
Meanwhile di Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) don confam wetin Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong tok.
For statement wey NFF release dem say di players true-true sleep inside aeroplane.
“Di NFF bin ready to book hotel rooms for players and officials near di airport wey dem dey but all di hotels wey we bin approach tell us say dem don instruct dem make dem no welcome Nigerians.
Our aircraft crew bin go dey search for hotel rooms, but dem tell dem di same tin.
Dem give di captain hotel room becos im be North African but im no accept am as im choose to return wit di rest of di crew to di airport and sleep inside di aircraft.”
— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) October 14, 2024
Wetin bin happun to Libya for Nigeria
Ahead of di first leg match wey happun for Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, Southern Nigeria, Libya national team bin complain about how Nigeria delay dem for hours for di airport.
Tori be say di Libyan national football team bin get poor reception wen dem arrive Nigeria on Tuesday.
Dem complain say dem delay di players for over three hours for Port Harcourt airport.
Libyan media bin share some fotos of di team members wey bin sitdown for ground for Port Harcourt airport wen dem land from Tripoli.
According to tori from di Libyan News Agency, Captain of di Libyan team, Faisal Al-Badri, tok say di team pass through plenti inspection inside di plane, wey last for one hour, den anoda three-hour delay to transport dem between cities, even though dem bin use private jet.
Im add say, “Dem tell us say no police escort for out team, and we bin travel on bad roads inside complete darkness.
Di journey bin take us five hours under dangerous conditions, and we reach di hotel for night, with poor accommodation standards.”
How NFF respond to Libya claims
Afta dis kasala happun to di Libyan national team, di Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) say wetin di captain of Libyan team tok no be true, NFF say na Libya cause dia own problems.
NFF Assistant Director (Protocol), Emmanuel Ayanbunmi say di Libya Federation only inform di NFF say dia team dey land for Port Harcourt, and not Uyo, only three hours to wen di team suppose land on Tuesday.
“I bin tok wit di General Secretary of LFF, at length, on Monday, 7th October and im bin no give me hint say di team go arrive on Tuesday (di following day). Im only tok say im go get back to me but im no get back.
Im add say na on Monday evening, wey di pesin wey Libya Football Federation send as an advance party bin call am to tell am say di team dey arriving on Tuesday afternoon.
“We bin don make all arrangements to receive di team for Uyo on wen dem land.”
“Na only one hour afta di team bin dey for air na im tell me say di delegation go land for Port Harcourt.
“Na dis late call scata so many tins, but we bin still rush to get approval from federal authorities to allow dia plane to fly dem to Uyo wen dem finish immigration formalities for Port Harcourt.”
“E for mean additional cost to di LFF from di charter company, and dem no want, so dem prefer to travel from Port Harcourt to Uyo by road.”
According to di statement, Ayanbunmi add say di Libyan delegation no gree use di road transportation arrangements wey di NFF bin make for dem. Instead dem hire dia own buses.
“If dem bin travel for buses wey no get air-conditioner (AC) NFF hand no dey inside becos dem bin hire dia own buses. We bin provide security for dem, with men and vehicles for front and behind dia buses, so dia complaints and threats no dey shake us.” im conclude.
Libya respond to Super Eagles ‘hostage’ mata
Di Libya Football Federation (LFF) don respond to claims say dem hold Nigeria national team hostage in di name of flight delay and diversion of flights.
“We dey deeply concerned about di recent reports wey surround di diversion of di Nigerian national team flight ahead of di Africa Cup of Nations qualifier for Libya.
“While we regret any inconvenience e don cause, e dey essential to note say such incidents fit occur due to routine air traffic control protocols, security checks, or logistical challenges wey dey affect international air travel.”
“Dis na standard procedures for airports worldwide, and delays or rerouting (to divert), even though e dey unfortunate, na common tin.”
“We get beta respect for our Nigerian counterparts and wan reassure dem say di diversion of dia flight no dey intentional.”
Di statement add say, Nigeria no get any reason to accuse di Libyan security teams or di Libyan Football Federation say dem plan dis incident sake of say e no dey in line wit dia values and principles.
“We firmly reject any claims wey suggest foul play or sabotage for dis situation.
“E dey important to highlight say just last week, our own national team bin face significant challenges wen we land Nigeria for di third match of di Africa Cup of Nations qualification.”
“Despite di difficulties we face, we no make public accusations or question di integrity of di Nigerian authorities. Football dey unite nations, and we dey committed to uphold di spirit of fairness and mutual respect both on and off di field.”
Di LFF add say for Libya, dia pride na to take care and welcome pipo.
To treat all visiting teams, including our African brothers and oda international delegations, wit di respect and dignity wey dem deserve na our priority.
“We hope say wey fit settle dis misunderstanding wit goodwill. Our doors dey open to our Nigerian brodas and all African teams, and we go kontinu to promote di spirit of unity, sportsmanship, and friendship for world of football.” LFF conclude.
Meanwhile Nigerians don dey react to di current situation of Super Eagles as dem tok say dem no go play di match sake of dia condition.
While some dey support a total boycott odas dey worry about di safety of di Super Eagles.
This type of NONE,SENSE is still happening in Africa football, very sad!!!
Yes I support, boycott the game, heaven will not fall and it does, we will be happy it is in our time!!
Africa football cannot grow with this sort of behaviour
— David Offor (@DavidsOffor) October 14, 2024
I have known Lybia to be a good country so i am shocked they did that
— Subie (@Subie94133544) October 14, 2024
May be because u guys defeated them in a T-pain way & they decided to retaliate T-pain way but seriously,this unwise.Só unwise
— Oriretan Honour (@realhonour199) October 14, 2024
This is embarrassing, so I wonder how CAF will respond to it. Or will they stay and do nothing.
— Fabian E.E (@heisfab_) October 14, 2024
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