Police occupied the Djibouti football federation (FDF) headquarters on Monday, following an attempt by a group of club presidents to remove its president, Souleiman Waberi, and his executive committee. The FDF stated that police first occupied its national technical centre on Sunday at approximately 5:30pm, without presenting an administrative document or court order. On Monday, a larger police contingent reportedly ordered Waberi, executive committee members, staff, and other federation members to leave the premises.
The FDF reported that 16 club presidents then entered the building under police escort and held what the federation described as a "purported" extraordinary general meeting (EGM). The FDF rejected the meeting as illegitimate, stating that it was not properly convened and that required notice periods and procedures were not followed. However, sources in Djibouti maintained that the necessary number of delegates was present, and they unanimously voted to remove Waberi and the executive committee, establishing an interim committee.
This confrontation follows weeks of opposition to Waberi, who is a member of the Fifa council and the Confederation of African Football (Caf) executive committee. In September, a coalition of 27 clubs announced their intention to vote on the executive committee's removal. The FDF disputed the calculation of support needed, stating that 45 members, not 27, would be required to trigger an extraordinary assembly.
The FDF has appealed to Fifa and Caf, arguing that the use of state security forces to remove elected officials could be considered interference in the affairs of a national football association. The federation warned that potential consequences could include suspension, exclusion of Djiboutian clubs and national teams from international competitions, and a freeze on development programmes and funding.
Waberi and several other officials could reportedly face charges this week following a police investigation into suspected embezzlement and money laundering within the FDF. They were arrested in September 2024 after a government inspection identified financial and administrative irregularities, including concerns about payments to third parties and "misuse of cash payments" totalling almost £500,000. Waberi has denied wrongdoing.