Special Report: How NFF Use Sunday Dankaro House To Divert World Cup Funds

Special Report: How NFF Use Sunday Dankaro House To Divert World Cup Funds By Adekunle Omoboriowo As President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has zero tolerance for corruption and fraud, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) seems not committed to promoting transparency, adhere to fiscal discipline as it relates to probity, accountability and due process in their transactions. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in a report claimed that the federation spent $150,000 (One hundred and fifty thousand dollars) on purchases of furniture in the new secretariat at the Package B, National stadium, Abuja. This is contained in a letter which was written by the NFF titled: "RE: CENTRAL REVIEW 2015- KEY FINDINGS REPORT" on 20th October 2016 with Ref. No: NFF/PRESIDENT/GEN/Vol.II/057 signed by the Secretary-General of the Federation, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed, the federation claimed to have spent the sum of Fifty-two million and five hundred thousand naira (N52.5m) on purchases of furniture inside the new secretariat (Sunday Dankaro House) in Package B, National Stadium, Abuja. The 10-page letter written to explicitly explain retirement of the 2014 World Cup Funds on page 8, item 3a reads thus; "Furnishing of New Secretariat at National Stadium for $150,000." Basic Sports in Nigeria (BSN Sports) investigations revealed that no furniture has been bought into Sunday Dankaro House since the commencement of the endless building of the secretariat. BSN Sports also gathered that former Akwa Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio donated Fifty million naira (N50 million) to NFF to complete the Sunday Dankaro House. The Secretariat was said to have been completely built through donations when former Nigeria President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan set up 'Presidential Task Force' aimed at raising funds for the NFF. The Nation's Football governing body, we also gathered decided to bring down some part of the House in the name reconstruction and seven years after, the building is yet to be completed. Investigation also revealed that the action was deliberate so as to be used as an avenue to divert funds under the pretense of construction and reconstruction. [caption id="attachment_13366" align="alignnone" width="225"] Inside Sunday Dankaro House[/caption] Sadly, NFF engaged Price Waterhouse Coopers as Auditors and Financial Derivatives as Financial Consultants. If these two companies have scrutinized, audited, examined, and reviewed the report and gave it a pass mark, then their integrity, probity, and professionalism must be questioned. How on earth do you explain such a situation where no furniture was bought and claimed to spend N52.5m on purchases of furniture. No credible auditing and financial consulting firm will be involved in such fraud. [caption id="attachment_13367" align="alignnone" width="300"] Indoor of Sunday Dankaro House[/caption] NFF had in a press release in May 2018 promised to complete Sunday Dankaro House and resume into the New Secretariat after 2018 World Cup in France. Also, in order to achieve the objective, set up Committee among its Board members headed by the 1st Vice-President, Barr Seyi Akinwunmi to recommend what needed to be done to hurriedly complete the building. [caption id="attachment_13368" align="alignnone" width="300"] Sunday Dankaro House[/caption] Unfortunately, the Committee could not help in providing any meaningful ideas on how the building will be completed as their aim is not to complete but to divert funds. But, six months later, the Secretariat is becoming more dilapidated by the day.