PLAYERS and officials of the Super Eagles were left stranded at the Al Abaq Airport in Al Abaq, Libya hours after arriving in the country, as a flight conveying them initially scheduled to land in Benghazi, a short drive to the match venue scheduled for Tuesday, 15 October 2024, was diverted to AI Abaq Airport.
As earlier threatened by Libya football officials, about an hour before landing, the Nigerian aircraft approached its destination, Benghazi, but it was diverted to another city, which was more than a two-hour drive from the original destination, with no logistics provided for the team by Libya FA.
A journalist, Adepoju Tobi Samuel, via his X.com platform, said: “The agreement and the approval the NFF got was for the chartered flight to land in Benghazi, a few minutes drive to Benina.
“Airborne the plane was diverted to Abraq Airport.
“The NFF transport arrangement was already in Benghazi. Despite the diversion of the plane, there were no buses provided at the Abraq Airport by the Libyan FA.
“The Super Eagles contingent has been stranded for 3+ hours and locked up at the Abraq Airport.
“NFF made another transport arrangement and they have refused to open the gates.
“Abraq Airport to Benina City is almost a three-hour drive.”
The Eagles are expected to take on the Mediterranean Knight in the Match Day 4 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), tagged ‘Morocco 2025’ qualification. The Eagles had edged their Libyan counterparts by 1-0 on Friday in Uyo, Akwa IbomState thereby consolidating their position on the summit of Group D.
Eighteen-Eleven Media