The Nigeria team have finally arrived safely back at home after enduring a terrifying ordeal on their return journey from South Africa.
The national men’s side had been forced to make a emergency landing after suffering a cracked windscreen during their flight on Saturday.
But the Super Eagles touched down at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, at 8:05am on Sunday, according to team media officer Promise Efoghe.
On X, they shared footage of the stony-faced players disembarking the plane, carrying their luggage after a grim 24 hours.
The aircraft carrying the squad had been organised by the Nigeria government to come in and pick them up from Angola.
The Super Eagles had been travelling home from Polokwane in South Africa, where they had earned a 2-1 victory over Lesotho on Friday.
The aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen shortly after taking off in Luanda, Angola
A chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft, which had been used to take the team to South Africa last week, was used again for the return journey.
The Nigerian Football Federation stated that the aircraft stopped in Angola’s capital Luanda for routine refuelling.
In a statement, the federation confirmed the aircraft’s windscreen suffered a ‘heavy crack’ in mid-air.
This led to the pilots needing to make an emergency landing 25 minutes into the flight, with the plane landed safely back at the airport in Luanda.
The federation confirmed the incident has delayed the arrival of Nigeria’s players and officials to Uyo, where they are due to face Benin in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Government officials, including the president’s chief of staff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Aviation, are working to secure permission to fly another aircraft from Lagos to collect the team and fly them to Uyo.
Nigeria’s squad includes five Premier League stars in Calvin Bassey, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi of Fulham, Brentford’s Frank Onyeka and Tolu Arokodare of Wolves.
Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are among other star names hoping to fire the nation to their seventh World Cup.
A plane carrying Nigeria’s squad was required to make an emergency landing in Angola
Nigeria are currently third in their group following their 2-1 win over Lesotho on Friday.
Nigeria are three points behind Benin in the group standings, with the Super Eagles needing to win to keep their automatic qualification hopes alive.
South Africa currently occupy second place in the group, one point ahead of Nigeria, which could be enough advance to play-offs.
