Special Report: Fresh Fraud Hit Nigerian Football

Special Report: Fresh Fraud Hit Nigerian Football

By Muibat Aniyikaye

While the ministry of sports insisted that the Nigeria Football Federation must retire the N1.5 billion World Cup funds (raised by Federal Government) to execute the 2018 FIFA World Cup from the group's stage to the quarter-final of the competition.

The NFF had told Nigerians that the nation's football governing body has not received a dime from the government for the last three years but surprisingly admitted to having received N1.5 billion for 2018 World Cup in France which they are yet to explain how it was spent.

Aside numerous corruption charges leveled against the NFF by the EFCC, ICPC and Special Presidential Investigative Panel a fresh fraud has yet again hit Nigerian football.

In an investigation carried out by www.bsnsports.com.ng, Nigeria National League coordinator and Chairman Nnewi United, Mr. Olisa Onuchukwu was alleged to have swindled two innocent Nigerians to the tune of Four Million and Two Hundred thousand (N4.2 million) naira only.

Onuchukwu, who two weeks ago was detained by the EFCC in Abuja over the sale of a slot in the NNL, was alleged to have collected Three million and Eight Hundred Thousand (N3.8m) naira from PDP Chairman Anambra state, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu. Olisa promised to take three footballers; Jideoffor Mbami Uchendu, Sochima Igbonekwu, and Chinonso who are based in Anambra state, to Europe and get clubs for them. He claimed that he worked with football agents based in Europe who will help in facilitating the deal.

Chief Ndubuisi who paid N3.8m to Mr. Onuchukwu to facilitate European clubs for the three young players was unhappy as he spoke to Basic Sports in Nigeria (BSN Sports).

"He is a fraudulent man with fraudulent character, he collected N3.8m from me to take three players to Europe but up till this moment he has not done anything after he collected their international passports and the money, though I have reported the case to the police." Chief Nwobu told BSNSports.com.ng

Jideofor Uchendu one of the three players that hope to travel abroad to continue his career was pleading that he should return his international passport once he couldn't get the European clubs as promised.

"Mr. Olisa Onuchukwu collected our passports and told us that he is working with white agents based in Europe who will get us clubs in Europe. We were happy and hurriedly submitted our passports but since then we have not set our eyes on him. He should please get us our passports." He pleaded.

Though, he claimed he didn't know how much that was paid to Mr Olisa Onuchukwu.

"I know millions of naira was paid to him by our sponsor but I don't know how much he received from chief." He said

In the same vein, Prince Michael Mbaezue, proprietor, Jumbaz FC, who also fell victim of Onuchukwu pranks, in June 2018 paid Four hundred thousand to the Nnewi United Chairman, Olisa Onuchukwu to get him a fairly used car and up the moment of filing this report, neither the car nor the money has been received by Michael.

"My brother, I gave him N400,000 for a fairly used car but surprisingly I have not gotten anything since June 2018 when I paid the money to him. He kept on giving me flimsy excuses but I know his cup will soon full."

Reacting to the allegation, Mr. Olisa Onuchukwu did not deny collecting money from but claimed he has settled PDP Chairman in Anambra, Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu with the cheque of N2.8m.

"He brought three players and we agreed to a few of N2.8 million to move them to Europe but because he was not patient enough to get teams for them before reporting to the police. Everyone knows how hard it is to get clubs for players who do not have a background and history of playing for any club before. Due to the delay, he went to report the matter to the police.

"They invited me and I explained everything to them. After that, I issued him a cheque of N2.8 million. So, I have settled him and I am not indebted to him."

"As for Mbaezue, the proprietor Jumbaz FC, he approached me to help him complete the money to purchase a car. I get in touch with my brother, deposited the money with the agreement that when he gets the balance, he will have the car for himself but unfortunately he was unable to meet up and was asking for the refund of his money. My whom I gave N700,000 (because I added N300,000 to his N400,000) has promised to refund us at the end of this month (February).

"None of the players has contacted me for their passports, I can't do anything with their passports, it is still intact. I will return it to them." He concluded