Petitioners Ask Court To Compel EFCC To Probe AFN Officials Over Fraud Allegations

The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) has been summoned to the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja following allegations of misappropriation and corruption throughout the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

The Included Trustees of Athletics and Different Sports activities Growth Initiative has submitted a petition calling for an investigation of the president of the AFN, Tonobok Okowa; former secretary basic, Rita Mosindi, and the previous managing director of Nilayo Sports activities Administration Restricted, who’s now the director basic of the Nationwide Sports activities Fee (NSC), Bukola Olopade.

In response to the writ of summons reviewed by our correspondent, the plaintiffs argued that, below sections 6 (b) and (h) of the EFCC (Institution) Act, 2004, the EFCC is obliged to research any reported cases of economic and financial crimes. They contended that the EFCC’s failure to research their petition, submitted on April 15, 2024, constituted a neglect of its statutory obligations.

The plaintiffs had been searching for a courtroom order to compel the EFCC to provoke and conclude the investigation associated to their allegations towards the AFN officers. They had been additionally requesting that the courtroom droop Okowa from his roles as president of AFN throughout the investigation, in addition to requiring Olopade to briefly step down as NSC Director Basic till the EFCC’s inquiries had been accomplished.

The Included Trustees needed the EFCC to scrutinise a cost of ₦70 million made to the AFN, regardless of an present contractual settlement with Premium Belief Financial institution for ₦100 million per yr. They asserted that the transaction violated the phrases of the settlement, which states sponsorship funds must be deposited into a delegated particular account. Moreover, the plaintiffs alleged that Olopade obtained a yearly fee from this quantity, but there have been discrepancies surrounding the administration of the funds.

Additional accusations included claims that Okowa paid himself ₦40 million as a purported mortgage to the Federation with none formal settlement in place, a matter highlighted within the AFN’s Audit Report, the place former Secretary Basic Mosindi confirmed the shortage of written documentation. The mortgage was reportedly allotted previous to the signing of any settlement, elevating issues concerning its legitimacy.

The plaintiffs assertex that they felt compelled to take authorized motion to uphold their goals, which embrace advocating for transparency and the welfare of athletes in Nigeria. They demanded readability on the checking account into which the ₦70 million was deposited, because the Audit Report famous that the devoted Particular Financial institution Account was not but operational.