Nigeria’s Super Eagles have arrived safely in Uyo after a 12-hour flight delay caused by a technical fault.
The team will now prepare for Tuesday’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have arrived safely in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, after their flight from South Africa was delayed due to a technical problem.
The players and officials landed at the Victor Attah International Airport around 8:05 a.m. on Sunday ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin Republic on Tuesday. Team media officer Promise Efoghe confirmed their arrival in a brief statement to journalists.
A short video released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) showed the players disembarking from a ValueJet aircraft, marking the end of a tense journey that started in Polokwane, South Africa.
The team had departed Polokwane late on Saturday after completing their training sessions. However, the flight was forced to make an emergency return to Luanda, Angola, where it had earlier stopped to refuel, after a loud crack appeared on the aircraft’s windscreen about 25 minutes into the trip.
The NFF explained that the pilot safely returned the plane to Luanda, and all players, officials, and government delegates on board disembarked without incident. The federation said the ValueJet management immediately began working with relevant Nigerian authorities, including the Ministers of Aviation and Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff to the President, to secure flight permits for a replacement aircraft.
According to the statement, “ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government authorities worked hard to get the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick up the delegation in Luanda, and convey them to Uyo.”
The replacement aircraft successfully completed the journey early Sunday morning, ending nearly 12 hours of delay for the Super Eagles.
The team will now focus on their upcoming World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic, scheduled for Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. The match is considered crucial for Nigeria, as the team hopes to secure maximum points to keep their qualification hopes alive after a tough campaign.
