A member of the FIFA Council and former president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, has disclosed that the Confederation of African Football will release its long-awaited verdict regarding the controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Libya on Thursday or Friday.
This announcement follows a troubling incident in which Super Eagles players and officials were detained at Al Abaq Airport for several hours upon their arrival for the match, which was scheduled as part of the AFCON qualifying rounds.
In light of the situation, the Nigerian team ultimately decided to boycott the match and returned home in protest.
During an interview with Arise Television, Pinnick emphasized the seriousness with which CAF is treating the matter.
He noted, “Today, tomorrow we will have the final result,” he disclosed.”CAF is taking this issue very seriously,” underscoring the organization’s commitment to addressing such significant concerns within African football.
He praised CAF President Patrice Motsepe for his leadership, stating, “He personifies integrity and Pan-Africanism.” Pinnick further elaborated on the discussions held during CAF’s executive committee meeting earlier this week, describing the deliberations as “a subject of intense discussion.”
“We pointed out the fact that this is very serious because anything could have happened (to the Super Eagles). So, CAF is taking the matter seriously and we’re not leaving any stone unturned,” he added.
As the football community eagerly awaits the CAF verdict, the incident has raised critical questions about the safety and security of teams traveling for international matches in Africa.
