The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has refuted claims that it is indebted to former Nigeria captain and coach Christian Chukwu who died on Saturday.
Some social media users had alleged that the NFF owed Chukwu, popularly known as ‘Chairman,’ a sum of $128,000. Reacting to the allegation, NFF general secretary Dr Mohammed Sanusi categorically denied the claim, asserting that there is no record of any outstanding debt to the late football legend.
“There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu,” Dr. Sanusi stated. “During the first term of the board headed by Mr Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.”
He explained that the committee was tasked with verifying debts and ensuring prompt payment to affected coaches. “I am aware that ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF,” Sanusi added.
Sanusi further challenged anyone with verifiable evidence of debts owed to Chukwu or any coach who has worked with the national teams in the past two decades to present the documents. “As a credible organisation that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately,” he emphasised.
Christian Chukwu, a celebrated figure in Nigerian football, captained the Super Eagles to victory at the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations and later served as a coach for various national teams.
