This is totally a soccer story …
The Nigeria men’s soccer team got on a chartered flight Sunday that was meant to take them to Benghazi prior to their Tuesday game taking on Libya in a qualifier clash in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. But instead of landing in Benghazi, they ended up being diverted to Al Abraq International Airport, an airport that happened to be “abandoned,” per team captain William Troost-Ekong.
The squad ended up being stranded for over 12 hours.
When their trip to Benghazi started, the plane was diverted, which led to the team getting prepared to travel by road from Al Abraq to Benghazi after they landed. But rather than get to the city, “a driver who has been standing inside the airport filming us and laughing with some of the other staff since last night said the bus was ready 12 hours after we landed,” according to Troost-Ekong. (RELATED: Now It All Makes Sense Why US Men’s Soccer Was So Crap For So Long — They Were Friggin’ Lazy!)
Oh, and he also claims “after our first tweets magically a team bus arrived.”
Victor Boniface, a forward for the Nigerian team, also took to social media to say that he and the team had “been at the airport for almost 13 hours no food no wifi and nowhere to sleep. Africans we can do better.”
Nigeria‘s match against Libya was ultimately cancelled, with the former understandably refusing to play due to the circumstances.
“12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Lybia after our plane was diverted whilst descending,” posted Troost-Ekong on social media. “Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.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.”
Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong shared photos of Victor Boniface, Calvin Bassey, and other Super Eagles players after revealing that the team was stranded at a Libyan airport for over 12 hours without access to food or drink 😳
(📸 @WTroostEkong) pic.twitter.com/XPd2U2MYOs
— ESPN Africa (@ESPNAfrica) October 14, 2024
JUST IN: Super Eagles captain, Ekong has suggested that the team won’t accept to play under these conditions that was done on purpose to Nigeria.
Libya did this on purpose and it’s sad to see 💔 pic.twitter.com/vtpu2fmzie
— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) October 14, 2024
After our first tweets magically a team bus arrived and a driver who has been standing inside the airport filming us and laughing with some of the other staff since last night said the bus was ready 12 hours after we landed. Now we have been waiting for fuel since morning…
— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) October 14, 2024
All I can say is … Wow.
