The leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has taken a more damaging dimension after entreaties from the Minister and other esteemed watchers of Nigerian football failed. Workers who had arrived the Glass House for Monday duty were stunned to see soldiers and riot policemen manning the gates and other strategic parts of the secretariat. Nobody was harassed but the mien of the security men showed they were there for the serious business of maintaining law and order.
The security personnel may have acted proactively after the warring factions in the leadership imbroglio hinted they would be at the office on Monday to discharge their duties.
The security men politely turned back staff of the Federation; they also exited the regular security men at the gate before taking over, a staff told our reporter.
Trouble started after the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, had sustained the 2014 ruling of Justice Ambrose Allagoa, which declared the Warri Congress that produced the Amaju Pinnick-led board illegal. The Warri congress was boycotted by some stakeholders.
Following the court ruling thhe Chris Giwa-led faction of the NFF had during the weekend announced the appointment of a new acting General Secretary and heads of departments with a hint that the new board would take charge of the NFF from Monday.
This may have prompted the deployment of security men to the office. By press time, the minister of sports and other stakeholders were making frantic efforts to calm frayed nerves.
