The Executive Board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) entered into a crucial emergency meeting yesterday in Abuja following the foiled attempt to arrest its 2nd vice president, Shehu Dikko by officers of the Nigeria Police Force on Sunday.
Dikko, who was part of the Nigerian continent to the Super Eagles win over Zambia in a Russia 2018 World Cup opening group game in Ndola, was embarrassed by the Police upon the team’s arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport when they tried to affect his arrest following an alleged Jos Court order.
It took the intervention of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) president Amaju Pinnick and members of the NFF executive board as well as some stakeholders who were part of the Nigerian contingent to last Sundays Super Eagles match against Zambia at Ndola, to prevent the police from effecting the arrest.
The officers who laid a siege at the airport at about11:30pm on Sunday swooped into action to arrest the LMC chairman as soon as he stepped out from the Arik airplane chartered by the Nigeria contingent, but were prevented by the large number of stakeholders who insisted that the LMC chairman must not be whisked away by police that late night.
The LMC has insisted that their chairman was not wanted by the Police, even as they have received a Court order preventing the law enforcement agents from harassing their officials in the discharge of their duties.
It was however gathered that the officers who insisted on arresting Dikko at the airport were prevailed by the high ranking football stakeholders on board who promised to provide him before the FCT police command the next day.
“I do not know why the officers have become so lawless that they tried to do such a thing even in a case that has been taken to the Appeal Court. But it was obvious to them that such a lawless act will not be allowed as the whole football stakeholders at the airport, including the Minister of Sports insisted that the LMC chairman must not be taken away in that manner.
“We stood our ground and confronted the officers before they allowed us to have our way. They were overwhelmed by the type of solidarity that Dikko has from stakeholders who insisted that a stop must be put to this impunity among some members of the football family,” stated an NFF source.
The NFF officials who played a major role in preventing the arrest it was gathered have thought it necessary to meet and come up with a way forward to address the LMC/Giwa FC matter.
It was also gathered that the meeting was to agree on how to meet with the FCT Police Commissioner, whose officers were involved in the airport drama, since it was gathered they promised to bring the embattled LMC chairman before the police.
“The board is meeting at an undisclosed venue to address the incident that happened with the Police at the airport. Do not forget that it was agreed that Dikko will visit the police, which was why they left him at the airport. So the board must agree on how to follow-up the issue.” an NFF official disclosed.
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