FC Midtjylland star midfielder Frank Onyeka will miss the Super Eagles AFCON qualifiers against Sierra Leone due to injury and will thus be replaced by Shehu Abdullahi, officials disclosed.
Defensive midfielder Onyeka made his long-awaited Eagles debut last month against Algeria in Austria.
He is now the third player to stay out of the AFCON qualifiers after FC Nantes winger Moses Simon and CD Leganes defender Kenneth Omeruo were ruled out on account of injury.
Shehu Abdullahi, defender or defensive midfielder, is staging a return to the national team after a long absence.
He has returned to Cyprus to feature for Omonia Nicosia, who play in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.
Nigeria welcome the Leone Stars to Benin City on Friday with the return clash in Freetown four days later.
