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The Nigeria Super Eagles players and coaches of the Nigerian national football team are preparing to depart Libya aboard their chartered Valuejet plane after hours of being held hostage at the Libya airport.
captain William Troost-Ekong shared this update on his social media platform, announcing that preparations are underway for their return to Nigeria.
He expressed gratitude for the support received, stating, “Our plane is being fueled as we speak, and we should be departing shortly. Thanks for everyone’s support! I want to emphasize: We would NEVER treat a visiting nation this way. Mistakes and delays happen, but never intentionally!”
Ekong had previously posted on his social media page, stating, “After our initial tweets, miraculously a team bus appeared. The driver, who had been inside the airport filming us and joking with other staff since last night, claimed the bus was ready 12 hours after our arrival. Now, we’ve been waiting for fuel since morning…”
He further exclaimed, “Can I shock you?! The pilot just informed us that fuel has been available for our plane at this airport all along. They could have fueled us but haven’t granted us permission. Can you imagine?! How long do they plan to keep us hostage here?! We are still waiting.”
The team encountered significant delays in Libya, as reported by Black Box Nigeria, enduring over 13 hours of stranded time due to disruptions by the host country’s government. Subsequently, with approval from the Nigerian Football Federation, the team decided to withdraw from their upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON)
