N38m missing: NPL members to face suspension

The Nigeria Football Federation looks set to hit the hammer on the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) members over the alleged missing N38m. The amount which is part of revenue for the television broadcast rights is said to be unaccounted for going by the detail report made by the external auditors to the NPL.


The report submitted by Olaniyi Wale Odunaiya & Co to the executive secretary of the NPL reads, “We were able to trace the sum of N115,358,730 (One hundred and fifteen million, three hundred and fifty and fifty eight thousand, seven hundred and thirty naira only) to the bank statement.

“According to the executive secretary the outstanding balance of N38,141,270 (Thirty eight million, one hundred and forty one thousand two hundred and seventy naira only) was paid through physical cash, we were unable to trace this outstanding revenue.”

The NFF board on the account of that report queried the NPL leadership to make the necessary explanation.The PUNCH learnt that the NFF members have come under increasing pressure to carry out their statutory supervisory role over their affiliate and clear the negative image the auditors’ report has brought to Nigeria football. Our correspondent has learnt on authority that the NFF leadership will likely suspend the NPL members to enable thorough check to be carried out on the subject and other issues raised by the auditors.

The PUNCH was told on Wednesday, “It is not that the NFF members are sleeping over the matter as it were. From all that I know they are taking a tough stance on the matter and in the next few days that should lead to the suspension of some key officials of the NPL to enable them check through. The query has been issued and I know that the reply has reached the offices of the NFF which they are carefully studying.”

Last week the NPL Secretary Mr. Tunji Babalola told The PUNCH that they were yet to receive the query while the NFF leadership insisted the query had been issued.

A PUNCH correspondent also learnt from a key football administrator in Abuja that the NFF board is also employing the services of independent assessors to do a review of the report and some other aspects of the NPL books. The top official who spoke with the correspondent on Wednesday did not state the specific members of the NPL that will likely be suspended.

*Fellow Nigerians, what sayeth thou?*