"We won’t play this game," says Troost-Ekong on Nigeria's treatment at Libya airport

Posted : 14 October 2024

Captain William Troost-Ekong of the Super Eagles has voiced his concerns regarding the unfair treatment the Nigerian national team is experiencing in Libya, indicating their decision to boycott the upcoming match. Following a narrow 1-0 victory against Libya at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, thanks to a last-minute goal by Ayodele-Bashiru, the team was scheduled to compete in the away game at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi.

Upon arriving in Libya last night, the Super Eagles found themselves unable to leave the airport due to restrictions imposed by local authorities, a situation that persists at present. Troost-Ekong explained that their flight was diverted to an unsuitable airport, necessitating an additional two-hour road trip to reach their intended destination.

Moreover, the Nigerian squad faced further frustrations as they were barred from entering any hotels, following directives from the Libyan government. This situation left Troost-Ekong feeling exasperated, and after discussions with his teammates, he announced the Super Eagles' decision to withdraw from the match against Libya.

He described their ordeal, stating, “We have spent over twelve hours stranded in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted during landing. The Libyan government revoked our approved landing in Benghazi without any explanation. They locked the airport gates and left us without access to phone services, food, or water, all seemingly part of mind games.”

Troost-Ekong reflected on his previous experiences playing away in Africa but deemed this incident particularly disgraceful. He noted that even the Tunisian pilot, who managed to adapt to the unexpected change in landing locations, had never encountered such circumstances before. Upon landing, the pilot sought nearby accommodations for his crew but was met with refusals at every hotel due to government orders, leaving the Nigerian team to sleep on the parked plane.

At this point, Troost-Ekong called upon the Nigerian government for intervention to assist the stranded team. He reiterated the collective decision made by the players not to participate in the upcoming match. He urged the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to review the situation and expressed that if this kind of behavior was condoned, they would prefer to forfeit the match rather than travel under such unsafe conditions.

The Super Eagles captain emphasized the importance of respect in international football, stating that they treat their opponents well when hosting them in Nigeria. He acknowledged that mistakes can occur, but the deliberate actions witnessed in Libya were unacceptable and unrelated to the spirit of the sport. As of now, CAF has not issued an official statement regarding the situation, leaving uncertainty about potential consequences for the Libyan side or Nigeria's decision to withdraw from the game.

"We won’t play this game," says Troost-Ekong on Nigeria's treatment at Libya airport

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