In a bizarre twist to the ongoing investigations into allegation of corruption against the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, the chieftains of the NFF have enlisted the support of the Department of Security Services to stop the probe.
In a petition sent to the Director of DSS, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by our correspondent, the NFF asked the security agency to mandate anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to stop all investigations and withdraw charges against its chieftains.
In the said petition which was dated June 21, 2020 and signed by the NFF President Amaju Pinnick the federation even asked a security agency to help facilitate the signing of the NFF Bill.
Chieftains of the NFF have been guests of both anti-corruption agencies in recent months; the ICPC even seized properties of some of the administrators as part of investigation into the alleged malfeasance in the federation.
The soccer body has now sought the intervention of the SSS to stop further probe of their past financial activities.
It said in the petition which they copied the of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami that, “We want the immediate withdrawals of all court matters and transfer of all the files to the office of the AGF for an independent review,”
“The immediate consolidation of all petitions from the investigative agencies (EFCC, ICPC, SPIP, POLICE, DSS) for an independent and unbiased review by either the office of the AGF and or the DSS.
“Clear directive to all the investigative agencies to stay away from football matters ( accept if a prima facie case is established and in the matters of FIFA or Sponsors funds, the owners of the fund i.e. FIFA or the sponsors duly complains to them) as football has its internal mechanism to deal with any issues including its Ethics committee for both NFF and FIFA.”
It will be recalled that the DSS directed all petitioners against the NFF to appear at the Service’s Abuja Headquarters last week Wednesday but the meeting could not hold as the invitees claimed the time of the notice was too short for them to prepare.
SOURCE: opr.news