News
Police grill NFF staff over alleged 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup visa scam
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
The Head of Marketing and Sponsorship of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chuks Alizor is under investigation by the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) of the Nigeria Police in Area 10, Garki, Abuja over allegations of visa scam.
Alizor was alleged to have obtained money under false pretence from fans that wanted to travel to the last FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
According to THISDAY, Police officials arrested Alizor and released on bail for the same scam that happened between April and July this year on Friday.
In the petition dated September 4, 2023, sighted by THISDAY, two fans, Mr Duke Uche Eseka and Obiakor Chris Albert Okechukwu, reported being scammed to part with huge sums of money to obtain visa and match tickets to travel to the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand.
Following the inability of the NFF official to deliver on his promise and his refusal to return their money, the two aggrieved fans sought the help of the police to make Alizor refund all that they spent during the processing.
The Law firm of Odezi Ighomor Esq, which acted as a solicitor on behalf of the petitioners, said in the petition that the NFF top shot asked the two of them to pay the sum of N7,722,000 to facilitate the visa issuance.
They said that after making the payment into two accounts and being asked to undergo biometrics capturing and paying for hotel accommodation in Abuja, the accused refused and neglected to process the applications.
The petitioners said that after several calls and messages to Alizor, the accused sent a purported rejection letter from the Australian Embassy.
They however also alleged that they were not the only victims of the scam by the senior NFF officer as over 500 members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club seeking visas to Australia and New Zealand were also scammed after parting with $120 each for match tickets and N320,000 each as visa application fee.
They claimed that the applications submitted by Alizor were a sham as many complained about their applications as they did not get their visa approved nor their applications properly processed.
No official of the NFF was ready to speak on the matter when approached.
Many football fans tried to travel to Australia to cheer Nigeria’s senior women’s national team to glory.
Some were met with disappointment while others made the trip where the Super Falcons reached the Round of 16, losing on penalties to European champions, England.
More revelations are expected to come out in the coming days on this alleged crime.
