CAF Executive Committee member Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani has voiced deep frustration over Libya’s lack of support during the recent hearing on the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Libya and Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports.
Al-Shalmani criticised Libyan authorities for failing to provide a solid defence and adequate representation, contrasting sharply with Nigeria’s substantial delegation.
In comments published by Libya Akhbar, Al-Shalmani revealed that over 20 Nigerian representatives, including the Minister of Sports and some members of parliament, attended the hearing to support the country’s case.
By contrast, he noted that he was alone in standing for Libya, a situation he described as a disappointing missed opportunity for national unity.
“While I was representing Libya alone, this issue was supposed to be an opportunity to unite ranks and support the homeland,” Al-Shalmani lamented.
“It is unreasonable for me to address the responsible authorities individually without having an official position that would enable me to do so. This is an issue that affects Libya’s dignity and sporting reputation and requires everyone’s intervention.”
Meanwhile, Amaju Pinnick, former Nigeria Football Federation president, confirmed that CAF is expected to issue its verdict on the incident imminently.
Pinnick explained that the CAF Executive Committee treated the matter with high priority during their latest meeting.
“CAF is taking this issue very seriously,” Pinnick stated in an interview with Arise Television.
“Today, tomorrow we will have the final result. CAF President, Patrice Motsepe, personifies integrity and Pan-Africanism. We deliberated on it in our executive committee meeting. It was a subject of intense discussion.”
The case stems from an incident in which Nigeria’s Super Eagles were detained at Al Abraq Airport for over 15 hours prior to their scheduled AFCON qualifier against Libya on October 15, 2024. As a result, Nigeria’s team declined to play and returned home.
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On this Nigeria/Libya AFCONQ issue, I will suggest that Nigeria request Libya to acknowledge their wrong doing and Nigeria should shealt their sword and not demand the big the stick on Libya, demand such should not be repeated. Also request CAF to fix any system failure or procedural failures. Let Nigeria make friend and not enemies. Libya is still an African country and should not be an enemy. Wisdom is profitable to direct. This way, we will still command respect. Nigeria failed to apply wisdom and be diplomatic with Nigeria Republic etc and today, we have lost it with them. Lets be wise.
In as much as I agree with you, don't you think if the culprit is not purnished, other (especially other African countries) would repeat such and use this case as an excuse. Let the investigation go on and everyone defend themselves. Wherever the faults comes. A reasonable lesson should be learnt from it. This is not political war. But you can't risk Human lives bkos of revenge which you can't defend.
brother u er making sense jor
How do you shealt your sword against a nation who insist they have done nothing wrong after such an act of terrorism? The fundamental problem here is that these Arabians pretending to be Africans think other African nations are beneath them and they can treat us anyway they like without any consequence.
True talk bro but they should be sanctioned if found guilty
These African/Arab countries see us as nonentity, they do not respect or treat any other African country as equals.
I wouldn't blame them though, I blame those senseless and desperate Nigerians that troop to Libya for menial jobs, a country that is in bits and pieces, if not, who is Libya compared to Nigeria in terms of sports, especially football.
How will blame those going there??? Or u don't know 1000denari is 120,000 naira???
Is like son to father
There's no tolerance for such acts similar to terrorism in football. the Libyan authorities acted like hijackers with no respect for human dignity. Punitive measures should be dished out to them to serve as a deterrent. CAF should be decisive on this.
what about the North African country that they not the second term of CAF president, please let them learn from their bad habit
they were trying to pay back fine, but not to make it looks like it was hijacked, dat was an act of terrorism , they over did it, at list land the plane on an existing airport, and not an abandoned one, kept every one on that flight scared, they should be punished for that, that will save as a lesson to all thanks.
In my own opinion, I think justice should reign, you don't joke with human lives in a manner like this all because you want to revenge, Nigeria is a loving country in terms of sport, how can you divert an airplane to another airport even after the pilot complained of fuel shortage, this are our fellow brother's, Son's, fathers in their own right, we will never treat them in such a manner, this should be a lesson for other countries who plan such in future, when you treat one Nigeria badly then you have treated the whole country badly, Nigeria deserves some level of respect
What outsiders should know is that Nigerians can fight and biker inside the country, but when outsiders try to mess up with us, we go with massive attack, massive defence formation.