The Federal High Court Abuja has served judicial summons on the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick as well as other top-ranking officials to appear before it on July 1 over alleged corruption.
The other officials are NFF vice-presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi and executive committee member Ahmed Yusuf ‘Fresh’.
They are to be arraigned and their pleas taken.
This was sequel to the order of Justice Ijeoma L. Ojukwu of May 28 that the accused persons be served by substituted means after prosecution lawyers for the Federal Government of Nigeria alleged they have evaded summons.
The football federation officials face a 17-count charge, from failure to declare their assets to the misappropriation of $8.4 million paid Nigeria by FIFA for the country’s participation at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
In a separate case, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency EFCC also seek to join Pinnick and general secretary Sanusi in the corruption trial involving NFF accounts staff in respect of over $10 million FIFA and CAF grants diverted to private pockets.
Pinnick has claimed a witch hunt by disgruntled elements against the NFF leadership.
