Ajibade Olusesan 
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has refuted allegations that it owed the late former Super Eagles captain and coach, Christian Chukwu, any outstanding salary or entitlements before his passing.
Chukwu, popularly known as “Chairman,” died on Saturday, prompting a wave of tributes and controversy.
A viral social media post claimed that the NFF was indebted to him to the tune of $128,000, a claim that echoes a statement Chukwu himself made in an interview granted just months before his death, where he lamented that the football body had not settled what was due to him.
However, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, has dis – missed the claims, describing them as inaccurate and unsupported by any official record.
“There is no record in the NFF of any outstanding indebtedness to ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu. During the first term of the Board headed by Mr Amaju Pinnick, a committee was set up to diligently peruse the papers of coaches who were being owed, even from previous NFF administrations.
“That committee was given the clear mandate to verify all debts and ensure that the coaches being owed were paid immediately.
I am aware that the ‘Chairman’ was in the employ of the NFF between 2002 and 2005, before he was relieved of the post following the 1-1 draw with Angola in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kano in August 2005. There is certainly no record of indebtedness to him in the NFF,” he said.
