2025 AFCON: NFF Responds to Libya’s Airport Reception Complaints



The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has strongly refuted claims made by Faisal Al-Badri, captain of Libya’s senior men’s national team, regarding poor treatment upon their arrival in Nigeria for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). According to the NFF, the confusion surrounding the Libyan team’s reception was caused by the Libyan Football Federation (LFF), not by any fault of the Nigerian authorities.

NFF’s Assistant Director (Protocol), Emmanuel Ayanbunmi, explained that the Libyan Football Federation only informed them of their team’s landing location just hours before their arrival. The original plan was for the Mediterranean Knights to land in Uyo, the match venue, but the LFF made a sudden change. "I spoke to the General Secretary of LFF on Monday, 7th October, and he never hinted that his team would be arriving on Tuesday," Ayanbunmi said. "He only said he would get back to me, but he never did."

The situation took a dramatic turn when the NFF was informed, just an hour before the flight’s arrival, that the Libyan team would be landing in Port Harcourt instead of Uyo. This last-minute change caused disruptions, as the NFF had made all arrangements for their reception in Uyo. Despite the challenges, Ayanbunmi and his team worked swiftly to secure approval from federal authorities to allow the Libyan team's chartered flight to continue from Port Harcourt to Uyo.

However, this plan was rejected by the Libyan Football Federation due to additional costs involved. Instead, the Libyan team opted to travel from Port Harcourt to Uyo by road. "That would have meant additional cost to the LFF from the charter company, and they didn’t want that," Ayanbunmi noted, explaining that the NFF tried its best to accommodate the team despite the late notice.

Adding to the tension, the Libyan delegation decided to disregard transportation arrangements made by the NFF. Instead, they hired buses on their own, which led to complaints about the quality of the transportation. "If they traveled on buses that were not air-conditioned, that had nothing to do with the NFF," Ayanbunmi clarified. He added that despite the change in transportation, the NFF ensured the Libyan team’s security, with personnel and vehicles escorting their buses.

The NFF remains firm in its stance, stating that they are not responsible for any discomfort experienced by the Libyan team during their travel from Port Harcourt to Uyo. "We provided security for them, with men and vehicles in front and behind their buses, so we are unmoved about their complaints and threats," Ayanbunmi said. 

As the 2025 AFCON approaches, tensions between the Nigerian and Libyan football federations appear to have escalated, with both sides pointing fingers over the mishandling of the team’s arrival. The NFF has emphasized that they acted in good faith and did their best to manage the unexpected changes. The issue now casts a shadow over the preparations for the much-anticipated tournament.

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