Former Nigeria Football Federation president and FIFA Council member Amaju Pinnick represented Nigeria at the hearing of the Libya-Nigeria case in Addis Ababa on Tuesday. Pinnick criticized the Libyan delegation for what he termed unsportsmanlike attitudes towards Nigeria and the Super Eagles.
Libya was represented by Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani, a CAF Executive member and former president of the Libya Football Federation. During the hearing, Pinnick's accusations were backed by several delegates, including Senegalese Augustin Senghor, Cameroonian Seidou Mbombo Njoya, and Sierra Leonean Isha Johansen.
In response, Al-Shalmani, along with a private lawyer, suggested that Libya's actions were retaliatory, claiming Nigeria had not treated the Libyans fairly during their first match in Uyo. The Libyan Football Federation also submitted documentation explaining the diversion of the Nigerian national team’s plane to Labraq Airport.
Al-Shalmani highlighted that Libya had previously offered warm receptions to other African teams, citing Sudan and Ghana as examples of neutral venues used for matches. He noted that the situation between Ghana and Sudan in Libya had no direct relevance to Libya’s interests.
The hearing sheds light on the ongoing tensions and disputes within African football, with both sides presenting their cases as they seek a resolution to the matter.