Let them have the points, skipper Troost-Ekong says as Eagles leave Libya

The Nigeria Football Federation said it will fly the national team back home Monday after alleged “inhumane treatment” in Libya ahead of a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF (the Nigerian federation) officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” said NFF director of communications, Ademola Olajire.

A formal complaint by Nigeria has been sent to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) whose disciplinary board is now investigating the incident.

The Nigerian team have been held at an abandoned airport in Libya for more than 15 hours since their chartered flight landed Sunday.

The Nigerian embassy in Libya reportedly cannot intervene as they would need permission to do so from the Libyan government.

Captain William Troost-Ekong said the team would not play the game and they would not make a three-hour bus ride from Al-Abraq to Benina, where the qualifier was scheduled to be played on Tuesday, for safety reasons.

“As the team captain together with the team we have decided that we will NOT play this game,” he posted on social media.

“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.”

CAF said they viewed “the disturbing and unacceptable experiences of the Nigerian National Football Team at an airport in Libya in a very serious light”.

The statement added that CAF had been in contact with both the Libyan and Nigerian authorities.

“Appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations” the statement concluded.

The Libyan football federation denied any impropriety, saying in a statement it had the “utmost