Amaju Pinnick, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and Shehu Dikko, the NFF’s second vice president, are expected to be charged in court by the Independent Corrupt Activities and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) of engaging in corrupt practices.
Top sources claim that the ICPC has obtained the Presidency’s assent after starting an extensive investigation and is now prepared to prosecute the pair for alleged corruption allegations even though Pinnick intends to seek for a third term as the NFF President.
Following the recent revelations of several irregularities in the administration of football in the country, a source revealed that five additional football body chieftains had a number of cases to answer.
“It has been established that NFF President, his second Vice President, Dikko, and five other top NFF officials have a case to answer after weeks of investigations by the ICPC.
“This followed extensive investigations by the anti-corruption agency. The legal department of the ICPC is concluding plans to put up charges against Pinnick and other officials for them to face trial as soon as possible,” the source told The Nation.
Although the offences of the football chiefs were not spelt out, it is believed that the ICPC is keeping this for strategic reasons.
However, another source from the ministry, speaking with The Nation, said, “The football chieftains receive money appropriated to Nigeria Football Association and spend as Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but turn around to say “interference” when they owe their existence and recognition because Government turns a blind eye to their illegal status and they still don’t want to obey the laws of the land.”
