Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani, Libya’s CAF Executive Committee member, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with Captain Abdellatif Merchergui’s testimony.
Merchergui, the Tunisian pilot who flew Nigeria’s delegation to the contentious Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, served as a key witness for Nigeria in the hearing.
Reports say Al-Shalmani dismissed Merchergui’s testimony as “false and slanderous,” despite lacking aviation expertise himself.
He alleged that Merchergui’s testimony unfairly favored Nigeria, compromising diplomatic respect between Libya and Tunisia.
The Libya-Nigeria controversy has been escalating, with Al-Shalmani accusing Merchergui of breaching integrity and honesty standards.
As a result, Al-Shalmani says he plans to take legal action against the pilot.
Al-Shalmani also accused Nigeria of leveraging its star players’ influence to gain international support for the Super Eagles.
He claimed Nigeria exploited its professional players’ prominence to portray themselves as victims of Libyan hostility.
According to Al-Shalmani, Merchergui’s testimony was entirely false and intended to obscure the truth.
He condemned Nigeria’s tactics, emphasizing the need for fairness and transparency in the investigation.
The dispute is likely to escalate, with potential repercussions for future matches and diplomatic relations between the countries involved.
As tensions rise, the African football community awaits the outcome of Al-Shalmani’s planned legal action against Merchergui.
The controversy surrounding the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier continues to unfold, with significant implications for Libya, Nigeria, and the broader football landscape.
