TRACKING___After interrogating the last batch of officials of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday in Abuja, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is all set to prosecute them on alleged misappropriation of $8.4 million (N3.5billion) grants from world football governing body, FIFA.
A source close to the NFF revealed that:
“Some members of the NFF who couldn’t honor the EFCC invitation last December took their turns on Monday at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja. This is the last set of officials to be asked questions about how funds received by the NFF from world football governing body, FIFA between 2014-2016 were spent.
Another source added that: “I know some were invited (NFF officials) in December 2019 but they couldn’t make it because they were either outside the country on holidays or the invite didn’t get to them. They however got in touch with the EFCC and the meeting was rescheduled. After the meeting, the EFCC is now expected to make known its findings and most probably charge them to court. But so far, all the allegations from those fighting the NFF have been baseless”, he concluded.
Meanwhile, there are strong indications that indicted NFF officials would be charged to court with the consent of the Attorney General of the Federation who has approved the prosecution.
This is also confirmed as an Abuja High Court says it is ready to entertain a motion filed by the EFCC to add the names of NFF President Amaju Pinnick and that of the body’s General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi alongside three NFF accounts staffers as co-accused persons in the case instead of standing as witnesses. A similar request was turned down last year.
On Monday, Justice Peter Affen despite the.
Protestations of NFF counsel Festus Ukpe, agreed that the EFCC who were represented in court by Barrister Steve Odiase had the prerogative as prosecutors to amend their charges to include new accused persons and fixed February 20, 2020 for ruling.
