Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface and Nigerian national team stranded in Libyan airport for 12 hours after flight diversion
On Tuesday, Nigeria was set to play Libya in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, but the game will now not go ahead as the Nigerian team will boycott the game.
Nigeria were set to fly into Benghazi Airport on Sunday ahead of their qualifier on Tuesday but were diverted to Al Abraq Airport. The difference between the two cities is 234km or three and a half hours by car.
Tweets from Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface as well as former Watford defender William Troost-Ekong highlighted the ongoing issue.
On Monday morning, Boniface tweeted:
“Been at the airport for almost 13 hours no food no wifi no where to sleep African we can do better”
In a long thread on Twitter, Troost-Ekong gave a detailed recount of the story:
12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Lybia after our plane was diverted 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 Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason.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.
Then in the afternoon, Boniface tweeted:
This is getting scary now You guys can have the point We just want to return to our country
Troost-Ekong then confirmed that the team will return to Nigeria later today:
Power of social media. Apparently our plane is being fueled as we speak and we should be leaving to Nigeria shortly. Thanks for everyone’s support! I REITERATE: We would NEVER treat a guest nation for a game in this way. Mistakes happen, delays happen. But never on purpose!
Augsburg’s Frank Onyeka was also a part of the Nigeria squad during this international break. Other players with Bundesliga ties involved were former RB Leipzig winger and Europa League final hat-trick scorer Ademola Lookman, former Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi, Chidera Ejuke once of Hertha Berlin and Maduka Okoye formerly of Fortuna Düsseldorf’s youth academy.
The African Football Federation (CAF) will likely decide the next steps of potential punishment for Libya as well as the outcome of the unplayed game. The two teams had previously met in Nigeria last week, which saw the hosts beat Libya 1-0.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
