The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded Nigeria a win and the full three points in the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier with Libya that was postponed this month.
The Super Eagles and Libya were originally scheduled to play against the Libyan team at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benina, Benghazi on October 15, in matchday four of the AFCON qualification series. However, when the Nigerian team’s flight landed at the Al Abaq airport, they were held ‘’hostage’ for over 20 hours without food and drinks.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) would later announce the Super Eagles’ withdrawal from the qualifying match and asked them to return home.
Reacting, the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) said the flight diversion experienced by the Nigerian national team was not “intentional”.
However following an investigation, CAF found the Libyan team guilty of breaching article 31 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The 5-point decision reads:
‘’The Libya Football Federation is found to have breached Article 31 of the African Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The match No.87 Libya v. Nigeria of the CAF African Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 (scheduled to be played on 15 October 2024 in Benghazi) is declared lost by forfeit by Libya (by a score of 3-0).
The Libya Football Federation is ordered to pay a fine of USD 50,000.
The fine is to be paid within 60 days of notification of the present decision.
All other and further motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”
CAF president, Patrice Motsepe had earlier said that the continental body would not tolerate any lack of sportsmanship and unfair treatment in African football.
With the decision, Nigeria now has ten (10) points from four games and remain at the top of Group D.
Libyan CAF Exco member laments
Meanwhile, Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani, a Libyan member of the CAF Executive Committee, had lamented that the Libyans did not present strong evidence at the CAF hearing of the controversy-ridden Libya-Nigeria match.
According to a statement he made in the Libyan publication, Libya Akhbar, Al-Shalmani remarked that the trial scene reflected the great disparity in support provided to the two contesting teams.
He pointed out that more than 20 people represented the Nigerian team in the case, including the Minister of Sports, members of the Nigerian Parliament, and other prominent figures.
On the other hand, Al-Shalmani expressed his dissatisfaction with the absence of any official Libyan support, as he found himself alone in representing Libya in this case, which he described as “national. ” He expressed his disappointment at the Libyan officials’ neglect of this vital file.
Al-Shalmani stressed: “While I was representing Libya alone, this issue was supposed to be an opportunity to unite ranks and support the homeland. 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.”
