Nigeria skipper William Troost-Ekong announced on social media on Monday that the Super Eagles would be flying home in the next few hours after being unwillingly stuck at Al-Abraq airport in Libya.
The Nigeria squad were stranded at a Libyan airport, two hours from Benghazi, where they were due to play the second leg of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Libya.
The Super Eagles' flight was "diverted to Al-Abraq Airport while it was in the air, with the squad prevented from leaving the airport" on Monday. The Nigerian players were unable to leave the airport for more than 12 hours, with no telephone connection, food or drink.
Some of the national team's top players such as Bayer Leverkusen star Victor Boniface and captain William Troost-Ekong were lobbying on social media for the players to be allowed to leave Libya, as well as to cancel Tuesday's encounter.