Court orders arrest of Pinnick, other NFF officials over alleged fraud

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the
arrest of the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),
Amaju Pinnick and four other officials of the organisation accused
of misappropriating funds belonging to the football body.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu gave the order on Monday after the case
involving the NFF officials was called and they were absent in
court.

Also, the be affected by the arrest order are NFF Secretary,
Sunusi Mohammed; the 1st Vice-President, Seyi Akinwumi; the 2nd
Vice-President, Shehu Dikko and an Executive member, Yusuff
Fresh.

The Federal Government had earlier this year filed a 17-count
charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/93/2019, before the court, in which its
accused the NFF officials of alleged misappropriation of $8,400,000
belonging to the football body.

The money was said to have been paid by the Fédération
Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to the NFF as
appearance fees in the group state of the Russia 2018 World
Cup.

The defendants are also accused of “moving dishonestly and
intentionally the sum of about N4bn” belonging to the NFF without
the consent of the NFF.

Justice Ojukwu gave the order for the arrest of the defendants
upon an oral application by the prosecution lawyer, Celcius Ukpong
when the case was called and the defendants were absent.