Due to infractions committed by the Libyan Football Federation (LFF), the CAF Disciplinary Committee gave Nigeria three points and three goals for the postponed game.
Less than an hour before they were scheduled to land in Benina for the qualifying, the Super Eagles were diverted, which led to the incident.
The team’s aircraft was initially supposed to arrive in Benghazi, but Libyan officials ordered it to divert to Al-Abraq Airport, which is 150 kilometers away.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) withdrew the Nigerian squad from the match and lodged a complaint with CAF after the players were stuck overnight.
In its decision, CAF found that the LFF had violated Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code in addition to Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations. Under the direction of Chairman Ousmane Kane, the committee also fined the LFF $50,000, which was payable in 60 days.
LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I expressed his outrage at the decision, calling it “unjust and malicious” and claiming that the NFF’s power within CAF influenced the decision.
Al-SuwaiIn order to protect “their legitimate rights,” I said, the LFF intends to appeal within hours and, if need, take the matter all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Following CAF’s ruling, relations between the two nations have escalated further as reports from the Nigerian community in Libya suggest an increase in arrests and penalties directed at Nigerians in retaliation to the incident.
“All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers,” published Libya News Today 1, a well-known Libyan news blog, on Sunday in response to the CAF verdict. They have to pay $500 plus taxes.
Nigerians who reside in Libya will pay the fine that Libya is accused of. We have experienced injustice. Nigeria is not our neighbor. For what use do they serve us? The Libyan people are burdened by them. They must return home.
The site has 57,000 likes and over 188,000 Facebook followers.
A video of a Libyan TV host saying, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money,” was included with the post. In order to collect $500 in taxes and control their stay in Libya, the government should try its best to detain all Nigerians employed there.
Libyan stations asked the government to begin detaining Nigerian workers, according to Libya INF.TV, another Libyan website.
“Those without Libyan documentation will be subject to a $500 tax fine. No leniency if you refuse deportation. The ad stated that the Libyan government would use the money of its citizens to pay the Nigerian government.