Super Eagles players at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt refused to attend today’s pre-match press conference at the Alexandria Stadium because they were locked in a meeting at their hotel to discuss the non-payment by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of their bonuses and allowances, sources close to the players have told busybuddiesng.com.

Manager Gernot Rohr was supposed to address the press together with Ahmed Musa ahead of tomorrow’s game against Guinea but revealed that the player was unable to attend due to a players’ meeting at the Helnan Palestine hotel base of the team.

It has now been revealed that the purpose of the meeting called by senior players was to address the lingering issues around their bonuses and allowances with players understood to be running out of patience with the NFF hierarchy.

This latest instance of players losing patience with the NFF over bonuses and allowances comes on the heels of the Super Falcons refusing to leave France after their ouster from the Women’s World Cup over similar complaints. Prior to that, the Flying Eagles had also staged a sit-in protest after they were knocked out of the U20 World Cup in Poland over their unpaid bonuses and allowances.

The NFF has been battling insolvency issues lately following the failure of the former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung to include their budgets for national team assignments in the 2019 budget before the expiration of his tenure in May.

Nigeria takes on Guinea at the Alexandria Stadium tomorrow at 3.30pm and a victory will secure their passage to the Round of 16. They had earlier beaten Burundi 1-0 on their return to the Nations Cup after missing out on the last two editions.