Nigeria’s decision to withdraw from their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match in Libya due to alleged “inhumane treatment” of their squad has overshadowed Algeria and Cameroon’s qualification for the 2025 finals.
On Monday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced that the national team had safely returned home after a lengthy “ordeal” at a deserted airport in Libya.
“The Nigerian delegation left Al Abraq Airport at 15:05 local time (13:05 GMT) for Kano, continuing on to the Federal Capital, Abuja,” the NFF stated.
NFF director of communications, Ademola Olajire, detailed the team’s “ordeal on Libyan soil” in a 20-point statement, describing how the “keenly anticipated match” was turned into a “fiasco” by Libyan federal authorities and the Football Federation.
The Nigerian team was stranded at an abandoned airport in Libya for over 20 hours after their chartered flight arrived on Sunday.
The Super Eagles were scheduled to land in Benghazi, but their flight was diverted to Al Abraq, located 230 km (143 miles) from their intended destination.
“Football is about respect, and it begins with respecting ourselves,” he stated.
Nigeria has submitted a formal complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which is now investigating the incident.
CAF stated it takes “the disturbing and unacceptable experiences of the Nigerian National Football Team at an airport in Libya very seriously.”
The organization has also been in communication with both Libyan and Nigerian authorities.
“Appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations,” the statement concluded.
On Friday, Nigeria secured a 1-0 victory over Libya in the southern city of Uyo.
Nigeria now leads Group D with seven points from three matches, while Libya sits at the bottom of the standings with just one point.
In response, the Libyan Football Federation denied any wrongdoing, stating it has the “utmost respect” for Nigeria.
“There are no grounds to accuse the Libyan security teams or the Libyan Football Federation of intentionally orchestrating this incident,” the federation asserted.
“Such actions are inconsistent with our values and principles.”
“We strongly reject any claims suggesting foul play or sabotage in this situation.”
The Libyan football body also noted that its team “faced significant challenges upon arriving in Nigeria” last week.
Meanwhile, Cameroon and Algeria secured their places in the 2025 competition with wins in their respective group matches on Monday.
In Group J, Cameroon substitute Boris Enow scored from a free kick outside the area, defeating Kenya’s goalkeeper Bryne Omondi and leading the five-time AFCON champions to a 1-0 victory and qualification.
In another match, second-placed Zimbabwe defeated Namibia 3-1, putting them four points ahead of Kenya in the battle for the other qualifying spot. The two rivals will face off next month in the penultimate round.
In Group E, two-time AFCON champions Algeria defeated Togo 1-0 in Lome, with Borussia Dortmund defender Ramy Bensebaini converting an 18th-minute penalty.
Algeria now has a perfect 12 points from four matches, while second-placed Equatorial Guinea is likely to join them after Dorian Hanza’s added-time goal secured a 2-1 victory against Liberia in Paynesville, giving Equatorial Guinea a five-point lead over Togo.
In Group I, captain Elias “Domingues” Pelembe, who will turn 41 in November, scored the opening goal for Mozambique in a 3-0 win over Eswatini, moving the Mambas to first place above Mali.
Four-time champions Ghana are fighting for survival in their qualification quest and will face Sudan in a crucial Group F match.
