The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) refutes claims of mistreatment by Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri, amidst allegations of hostage situations involving Nigerian players. NFF officials assert that the Libyan Football Federation is responsible for logistical chaos, as both teams prepare for an AFCON 2025 Group D qualifier on Friday.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has rebuffed claims from Libya's senior men’s national team captain, Faisal Al-Badri, regarding mistreatment upon their arrival in Nigeria. Amid criticisms defending Libya for allegedly holding Nigerian Super Eagles players hostage at the airport, the NFF insists the Libyan Football Federation is to blame for the chaos.
Emmanuel Ayanbunmi, NFF’s Assistant Director of Protocol, stated that the Libyan Federation informed them just three hours before their flight that the team would land in Port Harcourt instead of Uyo. “I had lengthy discussions with the General Secretary, who never mentioned the Tuesday arrival,” Ayanbunmi noted.
The sudden change caused significant disruptions. After receiving the last-minute update, the NFF hurriedly sought federal approval for the team to fly to Uyo after immigration procedures. However, the Libyan Federation chose to avoid additional charter costs and opted to travel by road instead.
