NFF President, Amaju Pinnick
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the prosecution of the
President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, over an
alleged multi-billion scam in the organisation.
It was also learnt that the Federal Government through the
Presidential investigative panel headed by Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, had
placed Pinnick on travel ban.
Punch gathered on Saturday that Buhari gave the order for Pinnick’s
prosecution when the Obono-Obla presented a preliminary investigation
report to him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission also addressed a
report on the NFF to Mr President detailing the outcome of their
investigations which tallied with what Obono-Obla’s panel had submitted
to the President.
EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu had in his six-page report informed
Buhari that the anti-graft agency had investigated and prosecuted the
Director, Finance and Administration, Christopher Andekin; Head, Finance
and Administration, NFF, Jafaru Mamzah and a cashier with the Finance
and Administration department of the NFF, Rajan Zaka over an alleged
financial scam in the football governing house in connection with
financial payments from Federation of International Football
Associations and Confederation of African Football to NFF between 2014
and 2016.
But Buhari who was said to have been visibly angry over the alleged
monumental scam ordered Pinnick to also be prosecuted. He directed Magu
to embark on a wider investigation into the remittances to the NFF
between 2017 and 2018.
The president, who was reportedly shocked by the mind-boggling
report and additional revelations directed Magu to ensure a
comprehensive and discreet investigation with watertight and
unassailable facts and pieces of evidence that would nail the suspects
at the court.
According to the EFCC preliminary report sighted by our
correspondent, EFCC stated that it commenced full investigation into the
finances of the NFF where it discovered that the domiciliary accounts
of the NFF domiciled with Zenith Bank and UBA had received total inflow
of $16,417,761 from FIFA and CAF between January, 2014 and June, 2016 as
follows:
1. 18/12/2014 Zenith Bank, Ac No: 5070407456, $8,400,000 (FIFA);
23/01/2015, Zenith Bank, Ac No: 5070407456, $450,000 (FIFA); 25/03/2015,
Zenith Bank, Ac No: 5070407456, $1,081,000 (CAF); 13/10/2015 Zenith
Bank, Ac No: 5070407456, $3000 (CAF); 12/01/2014, UBA, Ac No:
3000004944, $1,500,000 (FIFA); 15/01/2014 UBA, Ac No: 3000004944,
$1,746,745 (CAF); 19/03/2014 UBA, Ac No: 3000004944, $249,950 (CAF);
12/12/2014 UBA, Ac No: 3000004944, $301,467 (FIFA);14/05/2015 UBA, Ac
No: 3000004944, $30,000 (FIFA); 31/07/2015 UBA, Ac No: 3000004944,
$315,149 (FIFA); 14/08/2015, UBA, Ac No: 3000004944, $399,000 (FIFA);
11/09/2015 UBA, Ac No: 3000004944, $300,000 (FIFA); 16/10/2015, UBA, Ac
No: 3000004944, $850,149 (FIFA); 18/11/2015, UBA, Ac No: 3000004944,
$2,990 (CAF); 12/02/2016, UBA, Ac No: 3000004944, $79,540 (FIFA);
15/03/2016, UBA, Ac No: 3000004944, $299,000, (CAF); 22/06/2016 UBA, Ac
No: 3000004944, $9,930 (CAF).
Magu in the report also informed Buhari that investigation into the
case had been concluded. He added that Christopher Andekin; Head,
Finance and Administration, NFF, Jafaru Mamzah and a cashier with the
Finance and Administration department of NFF, Rajan Zaka were indicted
and arraigned on October 15, 2018 before Justice P.O. Affem of the
Federal Capital Territory High Court, No 19 Maitama Abuja on five
criminal charges of conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by a public
officer.
The EFCC’s boss further informed Buhari that the commission also
received another petition dated April 24, 2016 captioned ‘Monumental
stealing and financial crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation’, from
James Peters of Amal Pepple Estate, Abuja.
He stated that in the course of investigation, the Minister
(Sports) forwarded to the commission, documents in support of the
petition revealing sponsorship deals amounting to N1.14bn and $1.55m via
his letter No. HMY &SP/003/2018/55 dates August 7, 2018.
Magu said, “Investigation into this petition has so far
established that the NFF has sponsorship deals with 21 corporate
organisation. The investigation further revealed that between 2008 and
2018, 11 out of the 21 corporate organisations made sponsorship payment
of N5,288,990,000 and $1,550,000 to NFF as against the amounted stated
in the ministers’ letter under reference above.
“One of the companies appointed as financial consultant to the
NFF is owned by the 2nd Vice President of the NFF in person of Alhaji
Shehu Dikko. The audit trail of the funds and its utilisation is
currently ongoing with a view to prosecuting anyone found culpable of
any offence.”
-Culled from Punch.
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