By Amaechi Agbo

The Inspector General of Police, IGP will arrest Nigeria Football Federation, NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and other four accused persons who are facing 17 count charges on embezzlement and misappropriation of $8.4 million and N4 billion meant for football development in the country, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can authoritatively report.  

The Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) brought the charges against Pinnick, NFF vice presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, general secretary Sanusi Mohammed and committee member Ahmed Yusuf.

The charges range from failure to declare their assets to conflict of interest and alleged embezzlement of $8.4 million paid by world football governing body FIFA to Nigeria for participation in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The five defendants were also accused of intentionally and dishonestly moving the sum of about N4 billion without the consent of the NFF.

The SPIP accused Pinnick of working contrary to Section 5 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act by appointing Financial Derivatives Limited, a company he had vested interest in, as a financial consultant to the NFF.

A Federal High Court seating in Abuja on July 1^st granted the SPIP’s request to issue bench warrant arrest on the accused persons who had consistently failed to appear before the court severally.  

When the case came up for hearing on July 1^st, the defence counsel, Barrister Mohammed Katu told the court that the accused were part of federal government delegates to Egypt for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, consequently, they were not available for the commencement of trial.

Following a counter motion by the prosecution counsel, Dr Celsus Ukpong, he informed the court that the defence counsel was misleading the court as the accused were not part of the FG delegate to Egypt as such, he pleaded the court to grant the Federal Government the warrant of arrest to bring the accused to court by all means.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu after listening to both arguments, granted the bench warrant arrest.

With the bench warrant arrest obtained, the Federal Government, through the SPIP is mandated to bring the accused persons to the court on or before the next adjourned date of September 26, 2019.

Speaking to journalists after the case, counsel to SPIP, Dr Ukpong told reporters that the IGP will arrest the accused anywhere or any time they are seen in the country.

“They refused to come to court because they felt they are too big but the court cannot take that. The court has done the appropriate thing by granting bench warrant arrest against them.

“Bench warrant arrest means that the Inspector General of Police will get them arrested and bring them to court by all means available on the next adjourned date of 26^th September, 2019. The IGP will effect the order by bringing them by all means to the court.

“We are happy about the decision of the court to grant bench warrant against the defendants. They think that they are above the law but they are not. It is compulsory that people who are charged must come to court. If you don’t come, you do that at your own detriment. In the next adjourned date we believe that we shall use force to bring them to court so that they can face their trials.

“We have 17 count charge against them which is very important to the public. They cannot run away. The best thing for them is to come and face their trials. It is not to run or do hide-and-seek game they are doing.

“The meaning of the bench warrant is that anywhere we see them, we get them arrested except they surrender willingly to the court’s jurisdiction. If they surrender, no problem.  They need to surrender on or before the next adjournment but the arrest will also be effected during this period.

“But if they surrender, we will take them to court and the court will do its work. If they don’t, we will get them arrested and bring them to court.