SCORENigeria has exclusively been informed by several team sources that Super Eagles stars have threatened to boycott an all-important 2023 AFCON qualifier away to Sierra Leone over unpaid bonuses and allowances.
The players were promised some of these outstanding payments would be paid before this month’s qualifiers against Guinea Bissau, but that was not the case.
Nigeria must get a result against Sierra Leone in Morocco, where the Leone Stars now play their home games, to now book their ticket to the 2023 AFCON to be staged by Cote d’Ivoire in January 2024.
The three-time African champions top Group A with nine points, Guinea Bissau are second on seven points, while Sierra Leone are back in contention for qualification with five points after a 2-0 win over bottom team Sao Tome and Principe.
“Some of the players are very angry with the non-payment of the match bonuses and allowances especially after they were promised that at least some of these monies will be paid this month before the matches against Guinea Bissau,” an inside source told only SCORENigeria
“Nothing was paid and some of the boys have threatened they will not honour the match against Sierra Leone as a result.”
As first reported by SCORENigeria, the Eagles are owed bonuses and allowances for at least 19 matches running over two years.
These matches include 2022 World Cup qualifiers as well as the qualifying matches leading to the delayed 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
