The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed claims made by the Libyan national football team captain regarding their poor treatment in Nigeria, stating that Libya was responsible for its own logistical issues.
NFF Assistant Director of Protocol, Mr. Emmanuel Ayanbunmi, explained that the Libyan Football Federation (LFF) informed the NFF of the team’s arrival in Port Harcourt, rather than Uyo, only three hours before their arrival on Tuesday.
“I had an extensive conversation with the General Secretary of the LFF on Monday, 7th October, and at no point did he mention that his team would be arriving the following day. He simply said he would get back to me, which he never did. Later that evening, someone from the LFF, sent ahead as part of an advance party, informed me that the team would arrive on Tuesday at noon. Despite this, we made all necessary arrangements to receive them in Uyo.”
Ayanbunmi further noted that only after the team was airborne did the LFF inform him that they would land in Port Harcourt instead, which caused significant disruptions. Nevertheless, the NFF worked quickly to secure federal approval for the team’s plane to continue to Uyo after completing immigration procedures in Port Harcourt. However, due to additional costs the LFF would have incurred, they opted to travel to Uyo by road.
“The Libyan delegation also disregarded the road transport arrangements we had made for them, choosing instead to hire their own buses,” Ayanbunmi added. “If they traveled on buses that were not air-conditioned, that’s on them since they arranged those buses themselves. We provided security with vehicles in front and behind their convoy, so we remain unfazed by their complaints or threats.”
