Libya-Nigeria Football Dispute Intensifies at CAF Hearing in Addis Ababa

Former president of the Nigeria Football Federation and current FIFA Council member, Amaju Pinnick, represented Nigeria at a critical hearing in Addis Ababa on Tuesday following the ongoing Libya-Nigeria football dispute. Pinnick accused the Libyan Football Federation of unsportsmanlike behavior towards the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, during their recent encounters.

Libya’s defense was led by Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani, a CAF Executive Committee member and former president of the Libyan Football Federation. Al-Shalmani, alongside a private lawyer, claimed that Libya’s actions were a response to Nigeria’s treatment of the Libyan team in their earlier match held in Uyo, Nigeria. They also justified their decision to divert the Nigerian team’s flight to Labraq Airport, explaining it was not an act of hostility.

Pinnick’s stance received backing from several CAF delegates, including Augustin Senghor of Senegal, Seidou Mbombo Njoya of Cameroon, and Isha Johansen of Sierra Leone, who supported Nigeria’s concerns about Libya’s conduct.

In defense of their position, the Libyan Federation cited their previous hospitality towards other African teams, using Sudan and Ghana as examples, and insisted that their treatment of Nigeria was not outside standard protocols. They noted that their dealings with teams like Sudan, who held matches at the Benina Stadium near Benghazi, were handled with care and respect.

As the hearing concluded, both sides maintained their firm positions, but the outcome of this diplomatic football confrontation remains uncertain. CAF is expected to make a decision on the matter in the coming days, with football relations between Nigeria and Libya hanging in the balance.