Nigeria's football team has decided to boycott their Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match in Libya. Their decision comes after the team was left stranded at the Al Abraq Airport for more than 16 hours. The captain feels that this was "deliberately" done as mind games ahead of their second-leg fixture on Tuesday (October 15).
It is pertinent to note that Nigeria ended up winning the first leg of the tie 1-0 on Friday. That match had involved accusation of sabotage from the Libyan side. Nigeria captain had levelled some serious charges saying that the plane was due to land at Benghazi Airport but was diverted at the last minute to Al Abraq, 200 kilometres away from the original destination.
Notably, players of the team posted several pictures online in which thet can be seen lying on the airport seats with their luggage beside them in a scarcely populated space. Some of them had fallen asleep in not the most comfortable circumstances.
Taking to Instagram, star striker Victor Osimhen, who was not part of the squad because of a muscle injury, accused the Libyan football federation that it was an intentional ploy to demoralise the players ahead of a crucial match.
What The Libyan Team Had Accused During The 1st Leg?
Notably, the Libyan team had accused maltreatment before the first leg. That time around Nigerian Football federation had denied the charges. Libya's captain Faisal Al-Badri had said that they were delayed for three hours after their bags were searched. They were then transported to the city where the match was played via road.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's sports minister John Owan Enoh has asked the government to send a formal complaint to the continent's supreme football governing body.