Sports
Super Eagles Captain Slams Libya’s ‘Mind Games’
Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, has voiced his frustration over the ongoing situation involving the Nigerian national football team in Libya.
In a series of tweets posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Ekong revealed that the Super Eagles squad has been stranded at Al Abraq Airport for over 12 hours following an unexpected diversion of their flight, which was initially set to land in Benghazi for their 2025 AFCON qualifier match against Libya.
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 Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.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
Ekong disclosed that the Libyan authorities, without prior explanation, rescinded the team’s approved landing rights in Benghazi while their plane was descending. This forced their aircraft to land at Al Abraq, a small, underutilized airport primarily reserved for hajj operations. The Nigerian delegation has since been locked inside the airport, with no phone connectivity, food, or drink, adding to the fatigue of players and officials who were left stranded with no support or explanation from their Libyan counterparts.
In his tweets, Ekong did not mince words, accusing the Libyan authorities of playing “mind games” with the Super Eagles, in what he described as a deliberate attempt to disrupt their preparations for the crucial qualifier. “This kind of behaviour, let them have the points,” Ekong tweeted, making it clear that the Nigerian team would not tolerate such treatment in the name of international football.
He went on to say that the Super Eagles would not risk traveling by road to their intended destination, even with security guarantees, due to safety concerns in the volatile region. Ekong further questioned the quality and safety of the accommodations and food that would be provided to the team if they decided to proceed, expressing grave doubts about Libya’s hospitality in the circumstances.
The captain lamented the lack of respect shown towards Nigeria’s national team, contrasting it with how the Super Eagles have always treated their opponents with dignity and respect whenever they play in Nigeria. “Mistakes happen, but these things on purpose have nothing to do with international football,” he concluded.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) is reportedly making efforts to resolve the situation, with discussions ongoing about the possibility of flying the team back to Nigeria if the situation is not resolved swiftly. As it stands, the fate of the Super Eagles’ AFCON qualifier against Libya hangs in the balance amid these troubling developments.
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