00:00Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to leave Libya after the Nigeria Football Federation.
00:05NFF cancelled 2025 match against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya following allegation of poor
00:11reception by the host country when Nigeria players arrived at the Al-Abrak International
00:16Airport for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier-friendly match.
00:20There are reports with videos and photographs posted online that Nigeria's Super Eagles
00:27are currently boarding a plane to return to Nigeria from Libya.
00:31Reports indicated that despite Patrice Moshepe, the president of the Confederation of Africa
00:37Football, CAF's appeal for Nigeria to stay and honour the game, the NFF refused and the
00:44friendly match was scheduled to be played on Tuesday.
00:47The Nigeria Super Eagles took the decision not to proceed with their Africa Cup of Nations
00:53AFCON qualifier against Libya's Mediterranean Knights after being stranded for almost 13
00:59hours at Al-Abrak International Airport.
01:03The team's frustration grew as they awaited a flight back home, despite efforts by the
01:08Nigeria Football Federation NFF to arrange transportation to the match venue in Benghazi,
01:14according to close watchers.
01:17The Nigeria Football Federation said it believed that the delay by the Libyan
01:21authorities was intentional.
01:24A statement by the NFF communications department on Monday said the team were left unattended
01:30too at the Al-Abrak airport.
01:33A video posted by the Eagles' media team also confirmed the development, as the players
01:38and officials, along with their luggage, were left stranded at the airport, with the Libyan
01:44airport officials indifferent to their plight.
01:48The Eagles departed for Libya on Sunday morning, ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
01:54qualifying matchday 4 clash against the Mediterranean Knights.
01:59Libya was to host the three-time African champions at the 10,000-capacity Matthias of Beninna
02:05Stadium in Beninna, located just 10 km from Benghazi, but reports emerged that they were
02:11diverted to another city, according to Channel's television.
02:15The chartered value-added aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the
02:21small airport away from Benghazi just as the pilot was completing his approach to the Benghazi
02:27airport.
02:28We understand the Al-Abrak International Airport is only used for hard operations.
02:34Fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation
02:39failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from
02:44the airport to their hotel, said to be three hours away in Benghazi.
02:49The NFF made arrangements for separate vehicles for the team but the plan was unhinged by
02:55the diversion of the aircraft, the NFF statement reads.
02:59NFF added that the players have resolved not to play the match any longer, as NFF officials
03:06are making plans to fly the team back home.
03:09Nigeria secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Libya at the Gotswo Aquabio International
03:15Stadium in New York on Friday after late a strike by Fisayo Dele Basho.
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