The Arewa Youth Sports Forum (AYSF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order an independent investigation into N17 billion released to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in January 2024, and to restructure the federation’s leadership.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Yohanna Pam, the group alleged that the funds, meant to clear outstanding bonuses and camp allowances for national teams, had instead been marked by “systemic collapse, financial recklessness and institutionalised corruption” under NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau’s board.

“Instead of accountability, we are now faced with allegations of misappropriation of public funds. Instead of progress, we are faced with international shame as our Super Falcons were forced to drag the NFF to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, CAS, over unpaid bonuses and entitlements that the Federal Government had already released,” the statement read.

The AYSF said Nigerian football’s results had worsened despite the intervention, pointing to the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and what it described as the team’s dispute with the NFF at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over unpaid entitlements. (The Nation)