Bribery Scandal : Eagles Coach Given A Slap On The Wrist, Docked 60 Percent Monthly Wages & One-Year Ban

Published: September 05, 2018

Super Eagles chief coach, Salisu Yusuf has been given a slap on the wrist after he was banned for one-year from all football-related activities by the Nigeria Football Federation following its consideration of a complaint as well as the coach's defence of a video documentary in which he was seen to accept the sum of $1,000 from an undercover reporter posing as a players' agent.

Yusuf has also been fined $5,000.00 which is just sixty percent of his monthly wages as coach of the national teams and it must be paid before the end of 2018, he currently takes home in the region of N3 million per month.

In a press release,the Nigerian Federation noted that Yusuf accepted a cash gift $1,000 from Tigers Player's Agency, an undercover reporter, purportedly interested in acting on behalf of Players Osas Okoro and Rabiu Ali, for their inclusion in the list of players for 2018 CHAN Competition in Morocco.

The coach did not accept the offer of 15% of the anticipated transfer fees of the said players, as there was no follow –up action on the promise.

''In accordance with Art. 22, FIFA Disciplinary Code, he is hereby banned for the period of one year, from partaking or involvement or participation in any football related activity, effective from the date of this decision. He is also fined in the sum of $5,000 to be paid within three (3) months of the date of this decision,'' the NFF stated.

''The Committee also ruled that an appeal against the decision can be made to the NFF Appeals Committee.''

The NFF Committee on Ethics and Fair Play is chaired by ex-EFCC boss Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and the other members are Sule Shuaibu, Mainasara Ilo, J. C. Okoroji, Rabiu Mohammad, Shaw Fregene and Joshua Onoja (Secretary).

Ifeanyi Emmanuel