𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐋𝐀 𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐎𝐘𝐄𝐃𝐄

Dear 𝐌𝐫. 𝐎𝐥𝐚 𝐎𝐥𝐮𝐤𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝𝐞, 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧,

This is not a letter written to accuse anyone.

It is not an attempt to interfere with an investigation.

It is not an attempt to pronounce anyone guilty before a competent court.

It is a request for 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞.

First, I want to acknowledge the internal-accountability measures you have publicly described at the EFCC.

You recently stated that more than 40 EFCC personnel had been dismissed for corruption and financial malpractice during your tenure, with more than five already facing prosecution and additional case files being prepared. You also spoke publicly about concerns involving staff whose visible lifestyles and assets appeared difficult to reconcile with legitimate income. 

An anti-corruption institution cannot credibly demand accountability from the rest of the country if it refuses to examine itself.

You have also made clear that dismissal should not necessarily be the end where evidence justifies prosecution.

That principle is one reason I am writing to you.

I also acknowledge that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed you EFCC Executive Chairman on October 12, 2023, following your previous service as Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman and Secretary to the Commission. 

In every credible institution, it begins at home.

And when it begins, it should not stop halfway.

For years — and in some instances across nearly three decades of Nigerian football-finance controversies — the same pattern has appeared repeatedly.

Then the public trail becomes difficult to follow.

Not because everyone investigated is guilty.

Not because every audit query proves theft.

Not because every allegation deserves prosecution.

But because unresolved investigations, unresolved prosecutions and unresolved audit questions weaken deterrence.

When people believe that major financial cases can begin loudly and end quietly, the system becomes vulnerable to repetition.

One matter particularly illustrates the problem.

On 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖, the EFCC arraigned three Nigeria Football Federation finance officials before the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

The EFCC prosecution was publicly reported as involving alleged criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and misappropriation of FIFA development funds.

The matter was before 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎. 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧.

Those component figures total 𝐔𝐒$𝟏𝟎.𝟖 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧, which does not correspond mathematically with the separately reported US$9.535 million overall figure.

That numerical inconsistency is another reason the original charge, evidence and complete court record matter.

The original bank mandate identifying the authorised signatories at the relevant time has not been located in the public material we have reviewed.

The EFCC sought to add then-NFF President 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐮 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 and NFF General Secretary 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢 to the proceeding.

The court fixed 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟑𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 for further trial proceedings.

Then the publicly accessible trail became increasingly difficult to follow.

Justice Affen was subsequently elevated to the Court of Appeal in June 2021.

We have now written directly to the FCT High Court Registry requesting the official procedural status of the case.

We have tried to follow the court record.

We reached a point where the publicly accessible trail became unclear.

And now, respectfully, we are also coming to the institution that prosecuted the case.

𝐌𝐑. 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍, 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄 𝐍𝐎. 𝐅𝐂𝐓/𝐇𝐂/𝐂𝐑/𝟑𝟐𝟒/𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖?

If it was concluded, Nigerians should know.

If it was discontinued, Nigerians should know.

If a court ruled, the ruling should speak for itself.

If the defendants were cleared, they deserve that clarity too.

Federal Government intervention connected with national-team financial obligations.

The public record indicates that the money was associated with outstanding coaches’ salaries, players’ allowances, bonuses and other national-team commitments.

A Freedom of Information request dated 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 sought NFF financial records and utilisation logs relating to the intervention.

The NFF reportedly received the request on 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.

The letter was reportedly signed by 𝐎𝐧𝐨𝐣𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐚, 𝐄𝐬𝐪., on behalf of General Secretary 𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢.

The NFF’s position was that relevant records were already with the EFCC and ICPC because the matter was under investigation.

Subsequent reporting said some NFF officials had been invited, had given statements and were on administrative bail.

Then, on 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, EFCC spokesman 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐲𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐞 publicly stated that the investigation was ongoing.

What Nigerians do not yet have is the ending.

What was the approved expenditure schedule?

Were all payments supported by vouchers and receipts?

Did the EFCC trace any money to private accounts?

They are the questions an unfinished investigation naturally creates.

National Sports Commission Chairman 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐡𝐮 𝐃𝐢𝐤𝐤𝐨 publicly discussed an approximately ₦17 billion one-time Federal Government intervention received by the NFF around December 2023 to January 2024.

His public explanation was that the money entered the NFF’s CBN account and had already been spent by the time the National Sports Commission assumed responsibility.

That does not prove criminal wrongdoing.

𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 ₦𝟏𝟐 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂/𝐈𝐂𝐏𝐂 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 ₦𝟏𝟕 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 — 𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌?

We do not want to add figures together without documentary proof.

We want the records to establish the relationship.

reported stolen from the NFF secretariat in March 2009.

Police investigation and prosecution followed.

If there was a conviction, where is the final record?

If the defendants were acquitted, where is the final record?

If it was not recovered, what became of the recovery effort?

That is not about reopening old accusations.

In 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔, another major financial controversy entered the public record.

At the time, the Nigeria Football Federation was led by 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐮 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 as President, with 𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢 serving as General Secretary.

Then-Sports Minister 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 publicly demanded a detailed accounting of the receipt, disbursement and application of the FIFA development grant and called for an independent audit. He said FIFA had withheld further development funding because adequate documentation had not been provided for approximately US$802,000 of the grant. 

But the NFF disputed the suggestion that the issue amounted automatically to theft or diversion.

The federation said its accounts had already been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, maintained that there were no discrepancies in its audited accounts, and argued that the Sports Minister had been misinformed about the activities of the NFF board. 

Then-NFF President 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐮 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 subsequently provided a public explanation of how the questioned approximately 𝐔𝐒$𝟖𝟎𝟏,𝟗𝟐𝟗 had been spent and said the federation was not opposed to a further audit. He also pointed to the NFF’s engagement of PricewaterhouseCoopers as external auditors and Financial Derivatives as financial consultants. 

That competing account must remain in the record.

Missing or inadequate supporting documentation does not, by itself, prove criminal misappropriation.

But neither does a denial or internal explanation close an audit question.

What supporting documentation was eventually provided?

What expenditures did FIFA ultimately accept?

What expenditures, if any, remained unsupported?

Did the Sports Ministry’s requested independent audit take place?

Was any aspect referred to the 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 or 𝐈𝐂𝐏𝐂?

Were 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐮 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤, 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐢, or any other NFF official subsequently questioned specifically in relation to this grant?

And where is the public closing document that tells Nigerians how the 𝐔𝐒$𝟖𝟎𝟐,𝟎𝟎𝟎 issue finally ended?

Those are the questions that matter now.

Because if the NFF’s explanation was ultimately accepted, the public should know that.

If money was refunded, the public should know that.

If documentation was corrected and FIFA closed the matter, the public should know that.

And if the matter led to further investigation, sanction or recovery, the public should know that too.

𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐑𝐘.

in FIFA and CAF development grants reportedly received by the NFF between 2015 and 2025. 

The NFF disputed allegations of misuse and argued that FIFA and CAF funds were purpose-specific, subject to auditing and, in some cases, paid directly to approved contractors or consultants.

A parliamentary motion is not a conviction.

The proper answer is the completed parliamentary record.

Yet by January 15, 2026, reporting said the House committee had still not submitted its findings more than two months after the probe was ordered. 

Was anything sent to the Auditor-General?

The Nigerian public deserves the final page, not only the opening headline.

They should never be collapsed into one accusation.

𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆.

Football is one of the few institutions capable of bringing millions of Nigerians together at the same moment.

When Nigeria scores, people who may disagree about almost everything else celebrate the same goal.

That gives football extraordinary national importance.

And that is precisely why money intended for Nigerian football deserves extraordinary care.

When development money produces development, everyone can see it.

But when the public repeatedly hears about millions of dollars and billions of naira while development remains inadequate, the questions become unavoidable.

Another concern is institutional continuity.

The same relatively small circle of administrators and football-government actors has appeared repeatedly across different administrations, committees and eras.

That fact alone proves nothing improper.

Continuity can preserve institutional memory.

But longevity also increases the importance of documentary accountability.

A senior administrator who has served through multiple administrations may possess enormous institutional knowledge.

That does not mean he personally authorised every transaction.

and who answered when something went wrong.

A position is not evidence of criminal responsibility.

We respectfully ask the EFCC to help bring documentary closure to Nigerian football-finance matters within its jurisdiction.

It would protect innocent people from permanent suspicion.

It would protect investigators from accusations that cases simply disappear.

It would protect the credibility of the EFCC.

And it would protect Nigerian football from a culture in which allegations are remembered but outcomes are forgotten.

𝐍𝐎𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐆𝐎 𝐓𝐎 𝐉𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐘.

But where admissible evidence proves criminal wrongdoing and the law supports prosecution, accountability should not disappear because the person involved is influential, familiar or connected to football.

Equally, where an investigation establishes no criminal wrongdoing, that person deserves a clear ending too.

Either outcome serves the public interest.

𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓.

Mr. Chairman, your own recent public statements make this request especially timely.

You have said that the EFCC received 49,673 petitions between October 2023 and July 2026, investigated 39,615 cases, filed 14,476 cases in court, and secured 10,872 convictions. You have also said the Commission recovered more than ₦1.23 trillion and approximately US$684.47 million during the same broad period. 

You have said that more than 40 EFCC employees were dismissed for corruption and financial malpractice, and that some were being prosecuted. 

You have also said that the Commission receives tens of thousands of public-corruption petitions and that some case files are deeply troubling. 

We are respectfully asking that the unresolved Nigerian football files be measured against the same standard.

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐈𝐓.

𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐖 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐒.

Football has carried too many unfinished financial questions for too long.

Where the trail becomes unclear, we will continue asking.

But because young Nigerians deserve pitches instead of unfinished projects.

Players deserve payment instead of promises.

Coaches deserve contracts that are honoured.

Mr. Chairman, you have spoken about cleaning your own institution.

That principle deserves to be applied wherever public resources are involved.

𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍.

Not because we have already decided who is guilty.

But because an unresolved case leaves suspicion hanging over everyone.

A completed case gives everyone an answer.

And after nearly three decades of recurring questions around Nigerian football money, Nigerians deserve more than another beginning.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑’𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: This open letter forms part of The Gladiators Beyond the Arena, an ongoing documentary examination of Nigerian football governance, financial accountability and institutional responsibility. Its purpose is to identify unresolved public-record questions and seek documentary closure. It does not seek to determine criminal liability outside the lawful investigative and judicial process.

𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: This letter draws on publicly reported court proceedings, EFCC statements and prosecutions, government records, NFF responses, FIFA-related audit reporting, parliamentary proceedings, publicly reported investigations and other verifiable documentary sources. Where reported figures conflict — including the figures associated with Charge No. FCT/HC/CR/324/2018 — that conflict is disclosed rather than resolved by assumption. Where the final status of an investigation, prosecution, audit or parliamentary inquiry could not be established from the public material reviewed, it is described as unresolved.

𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 — State House announcement appointing Ola Olukoyede EFCC Executive Chairman. 

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟑𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 — public reporting of Olukoyede’s disclosure that more than 40 EFCC staff had been dismissed for corruption and financial malpractice, with some being prosecuted. 

𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 — EFCC performance figures covering petitions, investigations, filings, convictions and recoveries under Olukoyede. 

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔 — reporting on the FIFA audit query concerning the US$1.1 million grant and approximately US$802,000 in questioned documentation. 

𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 — House of Representatives resolution to investigate alleged misuse of more than US$25 million in FIFA/CAF grants. 

𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 — reporting that the House committee had not yet submitted its findings on that inquiry. 

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐘 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: Nothing in this letter should be read as declaring Ola Olukoyede, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Mohammed Sanusi, Amaju Pinnick, Christopher Andekin, Reagan Zaka, Fadanari Mamza, or any other person guilty of fraud, corruption, embezzlement, misappropriation or any other offence unless such guilt has been established by a competent court.

Parliamentary inquiries remain inquiries.

Defendants who pleaded not guilty remain entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until a competent court determines otherwise.

Where competing accounts exist, they should be tested against underlying documents.

Any correction, official response, charge sheet, EFCC or ICPC statement, court ruling, judgment, audit report, bank record, government release schedule, parliamentary report or other verifiable documentary evidence that clarifies these matters is welcome and will be incorporated into the continuing public record.

Feedback, comments, corrections, or documented contributions submitted in response to this public letter may be quoted or shared publicly, with appropriate attribution, as part of the continuing public discussion. If you do not want your feedback shared publicly, please state that clearly when submitting it.

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