Nigeria, July 24 -- As the curtain lifts on preparations for the 8th edition of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), the unveiling of Nigeria's 23-man squad by Super Eagles B coach, Eric Chelle, has lit a firestorm of criticism, with fans and stakeholders trading barbs over perceived bias, favoritism, and regional imbalance.

The squad, which includes key names such as Junior Nduka, Sikiru Alimi, and Godwin Obaje, is set to depart for Zanzibar this week for final preparations ahead of the tournament which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from August 2 to 30. But as the players pack their bags, many Nigerians are unpacking heavy accusations.

For Bin Idris, the selection process smells strongly of favouritism. "I'm...