Governing Bodies
Police quiz NFF staff over alleged World Cup visa scam
The Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) of the Nigeria Police in Area 10, Garki, Abuja is grilling the Head, Marketing and Sponsorship of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Chuks Alizor, over allegations of running a visa scam and obtaining money under false pretence from fans that intended travelling to the last FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
THISDAY learnt on Monday that Police officials arrested Alizor on Friday and only released him on bail after a lawyer, Odezi Ighomoh Esq, petitioned the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Nigeria Police Force, Abuja over the scam that happened between April and July this year.
In the petition dated September 4, 2023, sighted by THISDAY, two fans, Mr Duke Uche Eseka and Obiakor Chris Albert Okechukwu, reported of being scammed to part with huge sums of money to obtain visa and match tickets in order to travel to the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand. But following inability of the NFF official to deliver on his promise and his refusal to return their money, the two aggrieved fans sought the help of the police to make Alizor to refund all that they spent during the processing.
The complaints also addressed copies of their petition to the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Office of the Minister of Sports Development, the Chairman, Public Complaint Commission, and Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Law firm of Odezi Ighomor Esq, which acted as solicitor on behalf of the petitioners, who resided in Lagos, said in the petition that the NFF top shot asked the two of them to pay the sum N7,722,000 to facilitate the visa issuance.
They said that after making the payment into two accounts and being asked to undergo biometrics capturing and paying for hotel accommodation in Abuja, the accused refused and neglected to process the applications.
They said they made the payments into accounts belonging to Complete Design and Packaging Limited and Prudent Class Unique Resources Ltd.
The petitioners said that after several calls and messages to Alizor, the accused sent a purported rejection letter from the Australian Embassy.
They alleged that upon careful examination of the said refusal letter, it was discovered that there was no documents like bank statement, police character certificate, travel insurance, flight itinerary, hotel reservation, medical tests, match tickets and visa fee that they paid for to back up their said visa application.
They however also alleged that they were not the only victims of the scam by the senior NFF officer. Over 500 members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club seeking visas to Australia and New Zealand were also scammed after parting with $120 each for match tickets and N320,000 each as visa application fee.
They claimed that that applications submitted by Alizor was a sham as many complained about their applications as they did not get their visa approved nor their applications properly processed.
According to THISDAY newspaper, no official of the NFF was ready to speak on the matter when approached yesterday. The telephone numbers of Director of Communication of the NFF, Ademola Olajire could not be reached as at press time.
-ThisDay
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria is set to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking the third time the country will stage the continent’s top football gathering.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, approved Nigeria’s proposal to host the event.
The approval followed a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
Sports Villages Square affirms that Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Congress at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980 and again in February 2009, when the late CAF President Issa Hayatou secured another four-year term in office.
In addition to this year’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, Nigeria also secured the hosting rights of the CAF Awards ceremony. The annual awards gala, which celebrates Africa’s top football performers, has been staged in Morocco over the past three years.
Nigeria had earlier hosted the CAF Awards when telecom firm, Globacom, was the headline sponsor. This year’s event will be the seventh to be held in Nigeria after those of 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally attracts key football stakeholders from across the continent, including presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and senior football administrators.
The CAF Awards ceremony is regarded as one of African football’s flagship events, honouring outstanding players, coaches, clubs and officials in a glamorous setting that showcases the continent’s football excellence.
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FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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