By Gary Anderson

FIFA has lifted threat of international ban on Nigeria after Aminu Maigari has been reinstated as NFF President ©Getty ImagesFIFA has lifted the threat of an international ban on Nigeria after the President of the country's football federation, Aminu Maigari, was allowed to return to work in the capital Abuja.

The announcement comes as the long-running saga involving the leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had threatened the country's participation in the qualifiers for next year's African Cup of Nations.

Defending champions Nigeria are due to take on South Africa in a qualifier tomorrow, but the game was in doubt unless FIFA's demands that Maigari and his Executive Committee be reinstated, were met.

Nigeria had already played their first match in the qualification process amid the turmoil when they went down to a shock 3-2 loss to Congo in Calabar on Saturday (September 6), which was their first competitive loss on home soil for 33 years.

In July, Maigari and the rest of the NFF Executive Committee and Congress were sacked by a Nigerian court and replaced by a senior member of the country's Civil Service following Government allegations of corruption against Maigari and claims he was trying to rig upcoming elections.

Maigari had been arrested upon his return from the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, leading to an initial nine day suspension from FIFA for Government interference in the running of football in the country.

That ban was removed on July 18 when the court order was lifted and Maigari and his colleagues were reinstated.

But Maigari subsequently handed in his resignation just days before the NFF were due to hold elections on August 26, prompting FIFA to demand an explanation and call for his reinstatement.

Maigari and NFF general secretary Musa Ahmadu were unable to attend the elections in Abuja, claiming to be detained for "general questioning" by the Nigerian Department of State Security.

In Maigari's absence, Chris Giwa was elected as NFF President but the elections have not been recognised by FIFA.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi and his players lost a home competitve match for the first time in 33 years with defeat to Congo last weekend ©AFP/Getty ImagesNigeria coach Stephen Keshi and his players lost a home competitive match for the first time in 33 years with defeat to Congo last weekend ©AFP/Getty Images



A meeting of the Emergency Committee of world football's governing body last Wednesday (September 3) called on Giwa and the newly elected NFF Executive Committee to stay away from the organisation's offices in the Nigerian capital and ordered Maigari and the original Board be reinstated by yesterday or else an international ban would be imposed.

It appears that Giwa has heeded FIFA's demands as he did not show up at NFF offices yesterday, while Maigari and Ahmadu have returned to work.

"It has been a difficult time for our football but everything is over now," said Ahmadu.

"Our attention should shift towards moving our football forward because the country's football has gone through a tough period.

"The next step is to have an Extraordinary Assembly that will set a date for elections for the new Executive Committee."

A letter from FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke confirmed that Maigari has resumed his duties "without hindrance".

It added: "We also note that the persons claiming to have been elected vacated the premises of the NFF.

"Against this background, we would like to confirm that the conditions set in FIFA's aforementioned correspondence of September 3 2014 have been complied with and that the NFF is accordingly not suspended."

FIFA has now called on the NFF to hold fresh elections in accordance with its rules as soon as possible or it could still face the threat of suspension.

Meanwhile, Giwa has lodged an appeal against his ousting with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

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