Libya threatened legal action over Nigeria’s withdrawal from the 2025 AFCON qualifier
The Libyan Football Federation hath condemned Nigeria’s withdrawal from the second-leg match against Libya in Benghazi, declaring it shall pursue all legal means to safeguard the interests of the Libyan football squad.
In a proclamation shared by The Libya Observer, the LFF spake that, despite their cruel treatment in Nigeria, they resolved to play the first-leg match, confirming that the Nigerian side was uncooperative with the Libyan envoy.
The LFF made clear that the treatment they received in Nigeria was far worse than that which Nigeria had in Libya.
This development came after Nigeria’s senior men’s team, the Super Eagles, raised concerns for their safety. They had been stranded at Al Abaq Airport for more than 13 hours without food, water, or a place to rest.
The ordeal swiftly sparked an outcry, with images circulating of the Super Eagles team lying on benches at the airport.
William Troost-Ekong, captain of the Super Eagles, described the conditions at Al Abaq Airport as “shameful,” accusing Libyan authorities of intentionally playing “mind games” by revoking their landing permit and leaving the team without essential provisions.
This maltreatment compelled Nigeria to withdraw from the match, which was originally set for Tuesday, October 15.
The LFF’s statement read thus: “The Libyan Football Federation doth condemn the actions of the Nigerian Football Federation in refusing to partake in the Libya-Nigeria match, scheduled for October 15, in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers. We stress that all legal measures shall be pursued to uphold the interests of the Libyan national football team.”
“The Libyan Federation doth share images of the cruel treatment which did not hinder the Libyan mission from competing in the Nigeria-Libya match this past Friday in Nigeria, as we remained in cooperation with the Confederation of African Football.”
The LFF further claimed that their Nigerian counterparts had not cooperated in any manner, neither concerning the first leg nor the second. They added that the circumstances beyond their control did not amount to even a small portion of what the Libyan national team endured during the first leg.
Moreover, the statement offered an apology to Libyan football fans for the confusion and delays in the match arrangements, laying the blame upon the actions of the Nigerian Football Federation.
“The Libyan Football Federation doth apologize to Libyan football fans everywhere and to those involved in the match arrangements for the confusion caused by the Nigerian Football Federation, which led to the match’s postponement,” the statement concluded.