Lagos - The Nigeria Football Federation has described as sheer fiction, a report that the sum of $80,000 belonging to the Federation went missing.
The story claimed that the sum went missing either during the U-20 Women's Team's trip to Kinshasa for a 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup qualifying game or on the team's return, without being certain of the specifics.
A furious NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu said the blatant falsehood was shocking because the said national sports paper is highly regarded by the leadership of the NFF.
"The NFF is highly disappointed for three reasons: The sports paper is one we have regard for as being credible and factual; there is no iota of truth to the story and coming at this time that we are at the beginning of a busy and very important month in Nigeria football, it is disheartening.
"If our money was missing, we would be the first to declare so and state where and how that happened. This is a case of outright mischief. The so-called story was pasted on the social network by a fellow known for his lies and despicable invention.
"We would have expected the sports to get in touch with us as to the authenticity of the said story before going to press."
He said further: "That story is only in the imagination of those who wrote it. There is nothing like that. If money was missing, players and officials would not have been paid their allowances and match bonuses and there would have been some spurious excuse for that.
"On the contrary, everyone (players and officials) received their full allowances and match bonuses and there was definitely nothing like any money missing".
Amadu called for the support of the entire nation in a month the Super Eagles has kicked off well with three points against Namibia in their start to the race to 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, and in which they still have to play Malawi and Rwanda in major tournament qualifiers, and the Super Falcons host Zimbabwe in an African Women Championship qualifying match, stating that this was no time for distractions as wished by mischief makers.
-Reuters
