President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate prosecution of president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, over an alleged financial scam running into billions in the football house.
According to Punch, Buhari ordered Pinnick's prosecution after receiving the Okoi Obono-Obla preliminary investigation report, which allegedly indicted the former Delta state sports commissioner.
Interestingly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also submitted another report from their findings to Mr. President, highlighting most financial activities already spotted by the Obono-Obla's panel.
EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu also confirmed to Buhari via a six-page report that the anti-graft agency had investigated and prosecuted eggheads in the NFF that includes the Director, Finance and Administration, Christopher Andekin; Head, Finance and Administration, NFF, Jafaru Mamzah along with a cashier in NFF's Finance and Administration department, Rajan Zaka over his role in an alleged scam involving financial payments from Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) and Confederation of African Football (CAF) to NFF between 2014 and 2016.
Buhari was reportedly furious with the findings over the alleged massive scam and ordered for Pinnick's immediate prosecution.
He also charged the EFCC's boss to further carry out a discreet investigation into financial remittances in the football house between 2017 and 2018.
Magu, equally informed Buhari about 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.
"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, " Magu submitted.
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