The Nigerian Football Association on Saturday again refused permission for Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu to play in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Leicester at Highbury. Kanu made a personal plea to the Nigerian FA to be allowed to turn out for his club but Arsenal have now released the player for African Nations Cup duty. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was concerned that the London club could have been thrown out of the competition if Kanu defied his national association. The Nigerians demanded Kanu’s presence at their training camp in Spain on Saturday, 14 days ahead of the start of the African Nations Cup which they are co-hosting with Ghana. Arsenal appealed to the Nigerians to change their minds, but their plea fell on deaf ears.