Former international footballer, Harrison Jalla, has called on Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies — the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) — to emulate a Congolese court that recently jailed the president of the country’s football federation, Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, along with members of his family and two federation officials over financial crimes.
Gatekeepers News reports that Mayolas was sentenced to life imprisonment, while his wife, son, and the two officials were also convicted in a scandal involving about $1.3 million in development funds from FIFA.
Jalla, who chairs the Advocacy for Nigeria Football Reform Concepts, made the call in a message to The Guardian on Wednesday, questioning why similar action has not been taken in Nigeria.
“If $1.3 million can send the Congolese president to jail, what about Nigerian Football Federation officials?” he asked.
“Unfortunately, in Nigeria, our football federation officials seem to be immune from prosecution on corruption allegations,” Jalla said. “With impunity as the order of the day, it results in the free fall of Nigerian football. This is coupled with the fact that FIFA has abandoned its oversight functions regarding its grants to Nigeria.”
He added that the EFCC and ICPC should explain to Nigerians why former officials of the Nigerian football federation have not been jailed despite what he described as “overwhelming evidence.”
“There is the $8.4 million 2014 World Cup grant, which was fictitiously retired with a non-existent friendly match against Bolivia and CAF Congress expenses, among others, in a 76-item list. There is also the $10 million 2018 World Cup grant, which disappeared into thin air. As we speak, there is no trace of it, as it was completely diverted from the main domiciliary NFF accounts.
“There is also the $10 million FIFA Forward Fund, released in tranches for Forward 1 and 2. In addition, over $35 million from SuperSport broadcast rights sponsorship within four years was released to the League Management Company (LMC).”
Jalla further alleged that billions of naira in sponsorship funds had previously been investigated by the EFCC and reportedly confirmed to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Furthermore, several billions of naira in sponsorship funds have been investigated by the EFCC and confirmed to the late former President Buhari. It is mind-boggling to see those who are supposed to be in jail for corruption in Nigerian football appearing on national television defending corruption. Worse still, they are using the Nigeria Police to go after whistleblowers for alleged cyberbullying and cyberstalking, filing trumped-up charges in court to silence critics.
“There is a video is the unedited statement of a former Super Eagles captain and Chelsea Football Club legend, who spoke from the inside. In a serious country, this video alone should be sufficient for the relevant anti-graft agencies to take action, especially since the allegation is coming from a former national team captain.
“Where are the oversight functions of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports? Where is the Senate Committee on Sports? These issues cannot be swept under the carpet and will remain at the forefront until total reforms are implemented in Nigerian football and all stolen funds are recovered,” Jalla stated.
