Police quiz Maigari over alleged forgery of Blatter’s signature.
Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, President Aminu Maigari and 11 of his board members, in Abuja, were quizzed by the police, over alleged forgery of the signature of world football governing body, Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, President Joseph Sepp Blatter.
The NFF Board, had on Monday, allegedly snubbed the invitation of the Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Hafiz Ringim, directing them to report at Louis Edet, Police Force headquarters, Abuja, without fail, to assist the police on the matter.
Maigari and his invited members had snubbed the invitation, claiming that the allegation was the handiwork of perceived enemies.
However, when they failed to honour the invitation, an arrest warrant was secured to nab the chairman and board members, anywhere they may be in any part of the country, should they refuse to honour the invitation on or before yesterday, November 3, 2011, to defend the forgery allegation.
The NFF top shots who were seen at the Force Headquarters, making their statements in connection with the allegation, were accused of forging the signature of the FIFA president, in one of the threat letters allegedly raised to sanction Nigeria, purportedly to have emanated from Zurich and to which the suspects had deposed at a Federal High Court, Lagos, to sway court’s judgment in their favour.
But the matter took another dimension as the federation’s president Maigari, was quoted as claiming that he was seeing the forged letter for the first time, claiming that even when FIFA congratulated him, it was the Acting General Secretary Musa Amadu who informed him of the letter and that he never read any letter from FIFA.
The suspects were detained and later released on bail, pending trial for a breach of the criminal code, to incite football lovers in Nigeria against the federal government, and undermine the security and sovereignty of the nation.
A Police Headquarters source said the action was not only criminal but perjury, forgery and treasonable felony.
How would you invite a foreign body to invade the country without Nigeria committing any crime, just because of selfish interest which has seriously destroyed our football in recent past?”
Our source also disclosed that the allegation was exposed by the National Association of Nigerian Footballers, NANF, which took pains to investigate the source and authenticity of the letter, purported to have been signed by Blatter and was used as an alibi in court, to deny the other party justice.
The claim that the ordinary court has no right to try football matters, had been cited in most judgments in the cases involving the NFF.
Maigari, and 11 members of his board, reportedly made “useful statements” to the Police in Abuja, while Felix Anyansi-Agwu, chairman of Enyimba FC of Aba who was said to be out of the country, was absent with apology.
After writing their statements the source disclosed, only Maigari was released in self-recognition while the 11 members were made to provide sureties for their bail.
The source revealed that the NFF board members had allegedly brought a blog post where the alleged forgery was initially published, and when the FIFA secretary general, Jerome Valcke, was approached by the NFF, a letter was written to clear them.However, the police were not satisfied that the board was saying the truth, stressing that Blatter, who was at the centre of the signature issue, should have written to clear the air.
It would be recalled that 11 of the 12 members of the NFF board had sued the Inspector-General of Police in suit number FHC/L/CS/962/2010, arguing that some documents in court which included one dated 14th September, 2010, allegedly written by FIFA, was forged by the officials of the NFF which they (NANF) had wanted the Police to investigate and prosecute the offenders.
Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, President Aminu Maigari and 11 of his board members, in Abuja, were quizzed by the police, over alleged forgery of the signature of world football governing body, Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, President Joseph Sepp Blatter.
The NFF Board, had on Monday, allegedly snubbed the invitation of the Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Hafiz Ringim, directing them to report at Louis Edet, Police Force headquarters, Abuja, without fail, to assist the police on the matter.
Maigari and his invited members had snubbed the invitation, claiming that the allegation was the handiwork of perceived enemies.
However, when they failed to honour the invitation, an arrest warrant was secured to nab the chairman and board members, anywhere they may be in any part of the country, should they refuse to honour the invitation on or before yesterday, November 3, 2011, to defend the forgery allegation.
The NFF top shots who were seen at the Force Headquarters, making their statements in connection with the allegation, were accused of forging the signature of the FIFA president, in one of the threat letters allegedly raised to sanction Nigeria, purportedly to have emanated from Zurich and to which the suspects had deposed at a Federal High Court, Lagos, to sway court’s judgment in their favour.
But the matter took another dimension as the federation’s president Maigari, was quoted as claiming that he was seeing the forged letter for the first time, claiming that even when FIFA congratulated him, it was the Acting General Secretary Musa Amadu who informed him of the letter and that he never read any letter from FIFA.
The suspects were detained and later released on bail, pending trial for a breach of the criminal code, to incite football lovers in Nigeria against the federal government, and undermine the security and sovereignty of the nation.
A Police Headquarters source said the action was not only criminal but perjury, forgery and treasonable felony.
How would you invite a foreign body to invade the country without Nigeria committing any crime, just because of selfish interest which has seriously destroyed our football in recent past?”
Our source also disclosed that the allegation was exposed by the National Association of Nigerian Footballers, NANF, which took pains to investigate the source and authenticity of the letter, purported to have been signed by Blatter and was used as an alibi in court, to deny the other party justice.
The claim that the ordinary court has no right to try football matters, had been cited in most judgments in the cases involving the NFF.
Maigari, and 11 members of his board, reportedly made “useful statements” to the Police in Abuja, while Felix Anyansi-Agwu, chairman of Enyimba FC of Aba who was said to be out of the country, was absent with apology.
After writing their statements the source disclosed, only Maigari was released in self-recognition while the 11 members were made to provide sureties for their bail.
The source revealed that the NFF board members had allegedly brought a blog post where the alleged forgery was initially published, and when the FIFA secretary general, Jerome Valcke, was approached by the NFF, a letter was written to clear them.However, the police were not satisfied that the board was saying the truth, stressing that Blatter, who was at the centre of the signature issue, should have written to clear the air.
It would be recalled that 11 of the 12 members of the NFF board had sued the Inspector-General of Police in suit number FHC/L/CS/962/2010, arguing that some documents in court which included one dated 14th September, 2010, allegedly written by FIFA, was forged by the officials of the NFF which they (NANF) had wanted the Police to investigate and prosecute the offenders.
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