NFF Yet To Pay U23 Players, Officials As Players Call On Minister To Come To Their Aid

NFF Yet To Pay U23 Players, Officials As Players Call On Minister To Come To Their Aid

By Akin Akinbobola

Weeks after Nigeria U23 team ouster at the recently concluded AFCON U23 in Egypt, players and officials of the team are yet to receive their entitlement from the Nigeria Football Federation despite the marching orders by the Minister of Youth and Sport.

One of the players who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed that the NFF are yet settle the team players and officials.

‘We were told that all our outstanding bonuses and allowances will be given to us when we arrive Abuja , we even stayed for days but nothing was done.’

‘We stayed at the Abuja camp for more than two months but there was nothing to show.’

‘We are being owed our bonuses against Libya and Sudan in the qualifiers and our bonus win against Zambia in the AFCON tournament’.

‘The team was neglected , we were not given any support by NFF, we traveled without any top official of NFF like is done traditionally , at times the medical team have to bring drugs on their own because there was no any support’.

‘Almost everyone in the camp was dejected due to the lack of support’.

‘We also learnt that the U20 team was paid so also the U17 after their return from Brazil’.

The source also revealed that the minister of sports, Sunday Dare has approved the payment of the players and officials but nothing concrete up.

The player appealed that the minister should come to their aid.

‘We are appealing to the minister to please intervene and also call on the NFF to look into our matter after almost three months in camp.'

All efforts to speak with NFF officials proved abortive as our calls were not picked after several attempts.