Nigerian Super Eagles interim coach, Austin Eguavoen, has confirmed that the team was held hostage for over 12 hours at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya. This incident occurred ahead of their scheduled AFCON 2025 qualifier match against Libya, which has now been postponed by CAF.
The team faced harsh conditions during their prolonged stay at the airport, prompting widespread criticism and concern. Eguavoen emphasized the severity of the situation, describing it as a form of hostage-taking.
In response to the incident, the President of the Libyan Football Federation, Abdelhakim Al-Shalmani, has resigned amidst the growing controversy. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also issued a statement addressing the alleged maltreatment of the Nigerian players and officials.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the Super Eagles will not participate in the AFCON qualifier against Libya following this ordeal. The Federal Government of Nigeria has accused CAF of pressuring Nigeria to play the match despite the hostile conditions.
