The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, and four other officials of the football house.
Presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, ordered the arrest following the failure of Pinnick and others to appear in court to answer charges of misappropriation of funds belonging to NFF.
All defendants were absent from court on Monday prompting prosecuting lawyer, Celcius Ukpong, to request for their arrest.
The other defendants whose arrests were ordered by the judge include NFF Secretary, Sunusi Mohammed; the 1st Vice-President, Seyi Akinwumi; the 2nd Vice-President, Shehu Dikko and an Executive member, Yusuff Fresh.
The Federal Government had earlier this year filed a 17-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/93/2019, before the court, in which its accused the NFF officials of alleged misappropriation of $8,400,000 belonging to the football body.
The money was said to have been paid by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to the NFF as appearance fees in the group state of the Russia 2018 World Cup.
The defendants are also accused of “moving dishonestly and intentionally the sum of about N4bn” belonging to the NFF without the consent of the NFF.
