How to read this story
Football
Sports Report
Nigeria
Performance, competition, community identity and sports economy
AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: NFF Vs LFF drama continues as Libyan FF pushes to take legal action
The row between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has taken another twist.
The Libyan FA has threatened to take legal action against NIGERIA’S FF
The legal action was premised on the boycott of the African Nations Cup qualifier match scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
It can be noted that the Super Eagles resorted to boycotting the match following the hostile reception they were greeted with in Libya after the flight was diverted to the wrong destination and subsequently left stranded for over sixteen hours.
In a statement released by the LFF on Monday, it said that the claim of deliberate mistreatment of the Nigerian national team in Libya was false.
The Association implored Nigeria to be more understanding and reasonable in their assessment of the situation.
In the statement, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) also revealed that the blame should be put on Nigeria for the postponement of the AFCON qualifying scheduled to be held on Tuesday following their perception of the hostile reception and mistreatment they were greeted with on arrival.
The reports on Saturday indicated that the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the officials were left stranded in an Al Abraq International Airport airport only used for Hajj functions over 16 hours without refreshments, food or access to the internet.
Al Abraq International Airport is only 25km away from the venue in Benghazi, where the match was scheduled to be held, but the flight was redirected just minutes away from the destination and landed in Bayda, instead.
Throughout the Eagles’ sixteen-hour stay in AL Abraq Airport, there was no food nor water, no access to the internet nor any Libyan officials to welcome them.
After two days of hostility in Libya, the Nigerian Super Eagles decided to return to Nigeria on Monday, rather than staying behind for the match on Tuesday.
A situation the Libyan Football Federation reacted by urging Nigeria to be more understanding, citing that the Libyan National Team also experienced a similar distasteful occurrence while in Nigeria for the first leg, last week.
The matter is currently before the Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and appropriate decisions will be made after the conclusion of its investigation.
However, amid the statement issued on Monday by the LFF, the federation berated Nigeria for her decision to boycott the match and also vowed to embark on every legal means to protect and safeguard the interest of their national team.
AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: NFF Vs LFF
The LFF statement read, “The Libyan Football Federation condemns the measures taken by the Nigerian Football Federation by refusing to play the Libya-Nigeria match in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, stressing that it will take all legal measures to preserve the interests of the Libyan national football team.”
“The Libyan Federation attaches some inhumane footage that did not prevent the Libyan mission from playing the Nigeria-Libya match last Friday in Nigeria, out of cooperation with the Confederation of African Football,” read the statement in part.
He added,
“The LFF also issued an apology to their supporters for the inconveniences caused.”
“The Federation apologises to the Libyan football fans everywhere and the parties concerned with the arrangements of the match due to the state of confusion caused by the Nigerian Football Federation, which led to the failure to hold the match on time.”
The Libyan Football Federation, in periods leading to the visit of the Nigerian National Team to Libya, complained about the ill-treatment meted out to their players and officials in Uyo, Akwa Ibom (Nigeria).
Uyo was the host city for the first leg of the encounter that took place last week with their flight to the venue made by land.
They had to travel hundreds of miles away and eventually, their players were forced to take a road trip to the match venue.
Unhappy Libyan Football Federation Threaten Legal Action Against Nigeria for lack of cooperation and understanding.
The Mediterranean Knights Football Federation expressed its total bitterness about Nigeria’s decision to boycott the second-leg tie.
They suggested that the Nigerian national team would have exhibited better understanding regardless of the treatment they received.
The LFF alleged similar treatment was received by their national team when they visited Nigeria for the first-leg tie which they lost 1-0 to Nigeria at the Godswill Akpabio stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
They cited that Libya could still hold their nerves and went ahead playing the game.
Reportedly, they cited fatigue as the major cause of their first-leg loss in Nigeria following a long road trip from Port Harcourt to Uyo.
The tactic deployed by Libyan FF is yet to be uncovered−dark art in play or just misunderstanding?
It remains to be seen.
During the Super Eagles’ stay in Libya, neither the Libya football umpire nor her authority issued any statement indicating why the Nigerian national team was left in a “sorry” situation.
A situation led the captain and one of the players of the Nigerian national team to blow hot and threaten that he and his teammates would no longer wait to play the second-leg tie scheduled to be held on Tuesday.
On Monday, 10th October 2024, it was reported that the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) reported the mistreatment of the Super Eagles to the African Football Governing Body Confederation of African Football (CAF).
AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: NFF Vs LFF
In response, the CAF revealed that a preliminary investigation was already ongoing.
“The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (‘’Super Eagles’’) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities.
“The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation, and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations,” the CAF statement read.
More so, CAF made an attempted effort to persuade the Nigerian national team, through Nigeria’s Sports Minister John Owan Enoh, against boycotting the match but the Senator did not accede, instead, supported the team, and prioritised the safety of the team above all.
Nigeria presently tops the group with seven points from three matches and Libya is at the bottom, with one point from three matches.
The Super Eagles returned to Nigeria through Kano on Tuesday, as their fans were elated to receive them after being stranded in Libya.
Amid CAF releases statement as Nigeria’s Super Eagles remain stranded in Libya.
Every football lover is waiting to see the outcome of this drama between the Nigerian Football Federation and its African counterpart, the Libyan Football Federation.
AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: NFF Vs LFF
