Super Eagles Captain William Troost-Ekong Addresses Nigeria’s Airport Ordeal in Libya, Declares “We Will Not Play This Game”

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has announced that the team has decided to boycott the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match against Libya due to their ordeal at the airport.

Nigeria won 1-0 against Libya at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, October 11. The teams are set to play the return leg in Libya on October 15.

However, upon their arrival in Libya on Sunday, the Super Eagles were detained at the airport and have yet to be allowed into the country.

In a series of posts on Monday morning, Troost-Ekong expressed his disappointment over the “disgraceful” airport situation and revealed the team’s decision to boycott the match.

Read the full statement below:

12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Lybia after our plane wasdiverted whilst descending. Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.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.

I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour. Even the Tunisian Pilot who thankfully managed to navigate the last minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something like this before.

Upon arrival he tried to find a nearby airport to rest with his crew to be denied at every hotel again under Government instruction. He could sleep there but NO NIGERIAN crew members allowed. They have returned to now sleep on the plane which is parked up.

At this point we have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us. As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will NOT play this game. CAF should look at the report and what is happening here. Even if they decide to allow

This kind of behaviour, let them have the points. We will not accept to travel anywhere by road here even with security it’s not safe. We can only imagine what the hotel or food would be like given to us IF we continued.

We respect ourselves and respect our opponents when they are our guests in Nigeria. Mistakes happen but these things on purpose have nothing to do with int. football.