Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has for the second consecutive time left out captain of the team, Joseph Yobo, from the 30-man list he released Thursday.
Nigeria has close to 10 high profile matches including Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup qualifiers to prosecute between May and mid-July.
After being left out of the World Cup qualifier against Kenya in Calabar last month, Yobo felt he was not accorded the respect of a senior national team captain and voiced his resentment for such treatment. With 94 caps, Yobo holds the most caps for a Nigeria international and he has said Keshi has been "disrespectful" to him.
Just Thursday morning, NFF President, Aminu Maigari made spirited attempts to end the row.
"This is a highly untoward development and the NFF and entire Nigeria football family are disturbed. Less than two months ago, we lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in a blaze of glory, and this was made possible by hard-work and team-work in an atmosphere of peace, unity and tranquillity.
"The recent exchange of words between Coach Keshi and Captain Yobo is worrisome, at a time that we have so many important matches and major competition (FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013) ahead of us. I have ordered the Chairman of Technical Committee and his members to immediately intervene and restore sanity," Maigari said Thursday.
However, Keshi recalled midfield ace, Kalu Uche after 16 months in the international wilderness. Top scorer of the 29th Africa Cup of Nations, Emmanuel Emenike, returns to the fold a spell on the sideline due to injuries copped in South Africa 2013.
The African champions have a high-profile friendly against CONCACAF champions Mexico in Houston, Texas, USA on the last day of May, before two World Cup qualifying matches in Nairobi and Windhoek that come before the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in Brazil.
Nigeria play Tahiti, Uruguay and Spain in Brazil but will play two more games if they advance to the knock-out stage, before returning to Africa for a 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying fixture against Cote d'Ivoire.
Keshi's list include; Vincent Enyeama, John Mikel Obi, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses. Dark horses John Ogu, Michael Babatunde and Anthony Ujah all made their way back to the team after their debut in Calabar.
There are four goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and 11 strikers.
According to NFF's Assistant Director (Media), Ademola Olajire, the delegation of 12 home-based players and technical/backroom staff will depart Abuja for the training camp in Nuremberg, Germany on May 15 while the overseas-based professionals are expected to join the team in Germany as their various Leagues come to an end.
"Players in Russia, Ukraine and Norway may only join the team for the matches against Kenya and Namibia, and for the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament," stressed Olajire Thursday.
The Squad:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (HapoelBe'erSheva, Israel); ChigozieAgbim (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC, Nigeria)
Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); EldersonEchiejile (FC Braga, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); AzubuikeEgwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Ebenezer Odunlami (Sunshine
Stars, Nigeria); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC, Nigeria); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria)
Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal); Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars, Nigeria); Sunday
Mba (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Emeka Ezeh (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia); Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas KryvyiRih, Ukraine); Nnamdi Oduamadi (AS Varese 1910, Italy); Anthony Ujah (FC Cologne, Germany); KaluUche (Kasimpasa, Turkey); Gomo Onduku (Sharks FC, Nigeria); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland FC, Nigeria); Gambo Mohammed (Kano Pillars, Nigeria)
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