Corruption: More NFF Officials' Properties Should be Sealed - Gara Gombe

Seizure of NFF Officials' Properties is Long Overdue - Gara Gombe

By Akin Akinmorin

Former Chairman, Gombe state Football Association, Alhaji Gara Gombe has commended the Nigeria anti-graft agency over the seizure of properties belonging to the top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

Gara Gombe in an interview made available to www.bsnsports.com.ng said the seizure is long overdue arguing that the money in acquiring the seized properties were monies meant for the development of the game in Nigeria.

"What ICPC is doing is long overdue, this is what we need, this is what we have been saying, this is what we have been looking for in our sports particularly in football." He told Hot FM, Abuja.

Gara alleged that the four NFF bigwigs whose properties were seized by Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, got their wealth by diverting the funds meant for football development into their private pocket. He added that has made Nigeria football to be in a comatose.

"Seizure of property is long overdue and i am sure that more properties will be seized. These people have been diverting money that is meant for the development of football locally and internationally that have been coming from FIFA, CAF and so many other sources into their private pockets and have succeeded in destroying our sports and i believe what the ICPC is doing is long overdue, we just need to support the ICPC, provide them with correct information, encourage them and other agencies to also follow suit.

"If you know these people five years ago, they were nobody but in those years they have amassed so much wealth for themselves to buy all those properties and i dont think any government officials who is sensible enough and knows what he is doing and i arrested in his career will have anything to do with guys.

"They have so much money to spend around over the years to suppress and compromise officials, but i think the tome has come and i want to commend the new leadership of ICPC for taking the lead.

"I am sure in few days, EFCC will come up with their own, many of them are under investigation with EFCC again.

"This is a positive development to our football, justice will prevail no matter how long.

"The truth will always rose perpendicularly when the time comes, nobody can suppress it and the time has come." He concluded

Nigeria anti-graft agency, ICPC, last Friday sealed NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, secretary general, Sanusi Muhammed and vice president Shehu Dikko's properties in Lagos and Abuja over alleged corruption at the glass house.

The sealing of properties continued on Monday as more properties about 15 belong to the earlier mentioned two NFF officials and Board member, Yusuf Ahmed Fresh were seized by the government agency.