The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed reports suggesting it owed late Super Eagles captain and coach, Christian Chukwu, the sum of $128,000 before his death.
Reacting to social media claims, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said on Monday that there was no record of any outstanding debt to Chukwu, who died on Saturday at the age of 74.
This was contained in a statement posted on NFF’s official X handle.
Sanusi said, “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 ‘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 also urged anyone with verifiable documentation proving the NFF owes any former coach to come forward.
“As a credible organisation that is very much alive to its responsibilities, if we are confronted with any genuine document of indebtedness to any coach, we will offset the debt immediately,” he said.
Chukwu, fondly known as ‘Chairman’ for his commanding presence on the field, captained Nigeria to its first Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980 and later managed the national team.
He died on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the age of 74.
