They were held at the airport for hours! Osayi-Samuel lost his temper:

Before the Libya-Nigeria match in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers, the Nigerian delegation, which included Fenerbahce’s Osayi-Samuel, was not allowed to enter Libya. The team was forced to make an emergency landing at a different airport. The Nigerian national team was stranded for over 12 hours, leading to frustration among the coaching staff and players.

On October 15th, the Nigerian team landed in Libya for their qualifier match against Libya. The plane carrying the players and coaching staff successfully landed at El Ebrak Airport, but the players were denied entry into the country.

12 HOURS PASSED
As the plane approached Benghazi Airport, a sudden redirection led it to land at El Ebrak Airport. The Nigerian-chartered ValueJet plane had to make an emergency landing at El Ebrak after being denied permission to land in Benghazi. The players were left stranded for over 12 hours and became extremely exhausted.

ONLY USED FOR PILGRIMAGE PROCEDURES
It was revealed that the Libyan authorities had prevented the Nigerian team’s plane from landing at Benghazi Airport, which is closer to the city center, and directed it to El Ebrak. According to journalist Atinuke Esan, El Ebrak Airport is primarily used for pilgrimage purposes.

NO WELCOME OR TRANSPORT TO THE HOTEL
The exhausted players and officials were not greeted or taken to their hotels in Benghazi, which is three hours away from the airport. The Nigerian delegation was left waiting for more than half a day without any transport provided by the Libyan Football Federation. It was noted with surprise that no vehicles were sent for the team.

Before the trip, the Nigerian Football Federation had arranged its own transportation for the team, but the sudden airport change disrupted these plans.

OSAYI ALSO PROTESTED
Fenerbahçe’s star player, Osayi-Samuel, who is part of the Nigerian National Team, also expressed his frustration on social media, announcing that he had been stranded at a Libyan airport for 15 hours.

In his post, Osayi stated:
“I have been stuck at a Libyan airport for 15 hours without any health or security guarantees.”
Tagging the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Nigerian footballer added, “We can do better.”

OSIMHEN ALSO REACTED
Galatasaray’s Nigerian star striker, Victor Osimhen, who is not with the national team due to injury, also voiced his disappointment. On his social media, Osimhen wrote:
“I was deeply disappointed by the unfair treatment my brothers and coaches faced at a Libyan airport last night. Actions like this go against the spirit of sportsmanship. My support is with my team, and I know they will stay strong despite these challenges.

I call on CAF and other football bodies to intervene as my teammates and officials remain stranded at the airport in Libya. This is unwarranted and inhumane. We stand together, stronger than ever.”

DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NOT PLAYING THE MATCH
After hours of waiting, the Nigerian players became extremely tense and exhausted, leading to discussions among the team about possibly not playing the match. Some players expressed their frustrations on social media:

NIGERIAN PLAYERS’ PROTEST
William Troost-Ekong: “The Libyan government canceled our approved landing and left us stranded at an abandoned airport for over 12 hours without phones, food, or drinks.”
Victor Boniface: “I’ve been at the airport for almost 13 hours. There’s no food, Wi-Fi, or a place to sleep.”

NIGERIA WON THE FIRST MATCH BETWEEN THE TEAMS
In the Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria defeated Libya 1-0 in a match played on Friday, October 11. If there are no further disruptions in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the two teams are set to face each other again on October 15 in Libya.