A staggering 26 members of Nigeria’s Under-17 side failed an age test carried out ahead of an African Cup of Nations qualifier.

A mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screening of the squad revealed almost half were ineligible to play.

Only last year the Golden Eaglets, as they are known, won the FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile for a record fifth time.

The players who failed the tests have now left the training camp in Abuja.

They were staying there ahead of tomorrow's Cup of Nations U17 qualifying match against neighbouring Niger, which will still go ahead.

Many of the expected starting eleven passed the test.

Football’s world governing body FIFA introduced MRI scans to check the ages of players at the 2009 Under-17 World Cup, which took place in Nigeria.

MRI is used to scan the wrist plate of players to accurately check their true age, with only players between grade one and five of the scan eligible to participate.

Players with more advanced bone structure are considered to be adults.

•Adapted from a BBC report. Photo shows Golden Eaglets Coach Manu Garba.