Nigeria will boycott their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Libya on Tuesday after their players were left stranded at an airport overnight.
The Super Eagles squad were due to land in Benghazi on Sunday but their plane was instead diverted to Al Abraq, which is about 230km (143 miles) away from their intended destination.
A Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) official told BBC Sport Africa the travelling contingent were “completely abandoned” and then locked inside the airport building after making arrangements to leave.
Captain William Troost-Ekong said the squad had decided not to play the game and called on his country’s government “to intervene and rescue us”.
Nigeria’s minister of sports development senator John Owan Enoh said the main concern was the safe return of the team.
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) said it was “deeply concerned” by reports about the situation experienced by the travelling side but denied suggestions of foul play.
“We have the utmost respect for our Nigerian counterparts and want to reassure them that the diversion of their flight was not intentional,” it said.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has been in contact with representatives from Libya and Nigeria after the Super Eagles were “stranded in disturbing conditions”.
A Caf statement added that the matter has been referred to its disciplinary board for investigation and action will be taken if its statutes and regulations have been violated.
Troost-Ekong posted an update on X at 12:00 GMT that the squad expected to depart Libya on Monday afternoon.
“Apparently our plane is being fuelled as we speak and we should be leaving to Nigeria shortly,” the centre-back said.
Enoh said he had instructed the NFF to lodge a formal complaint with Caf about the squad’s treatment in Libya.
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