EFCC freezes NFF accounts

Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen three bank accounts of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), following new revelations by its investigation into the alleged N1.3 billion fraud in the Glass House.

This is even as the acting President of the federation, Aminu Maigari, has been summoned by the anti-graft commission to explain his role in the alleged fraud.

A senior EFCC source told Daily Independent on Monday that the commission has to freeze the three accounts in three different banks because investigators discovered some funds in those accounts which could not be explained.

The source, who would not disclose the names of the banks where the accounts were frozen, said however that $6 million was traced to one account which he said may not be in NFF's books.

According to him, the two other accounts frozen by the agency have $2 million and N144 million respectively in them.

The source who further disclosed that the acting president of the NFF has been summoned to face investigators working on the case today, explained that the invitation was informed by the fact that he was Chairman, Financial Committee of the NFF board when the former President, Sani Lulu, held sway.

"We have invited the acting President, Maigari, because we believe he has a case to answer. He was chairman of the financial committee of that board under Lulu," he explained.

EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the freezing of the NFF's accounts and invitation of Maigari for questioning. He however declined further comment on the matter.

The anti-corruption agency launched its investigation into the alleged fraud in July after Lulu was dismissed as president of football federation.

The commission first invited him for interrogation on July 8 alongside former Technical Committee Chairman, Taiwo Ogunjobi, former Vice President, Uchegbulam Amanze and Bolaji Ojo-Oba, NFF's former general secretary who were also fingered in the scam.

They are being investigated for rushing to book accommodation for players and officials in a non-FIFA approved hotel, Hampshire Hotel, in order to cut cost, causing the country to lose over $125, 000 (N18.7 million) when they had to book a new hotel.

Daily Independent

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