The Chairman of the Kebbi Football Association, Alhaji Abubakar Chika-Ladan, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday that contrary to rumours circulating on social media, the project was fully completed over two years ago and had since been put to use.

The Kebbi Football Association has dismissed allegations of misappropriation of funds and poor execution of the FIFA mini-stadium project constructed in the state.

The Chairman of the Kebbi Football Association, Alhaji Abubakar Chika-Ladan, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday that contrary to rumours circulating on social media, the project was fully completed over two years ago and had since been put to use.

“There have been several insinuations that the project was not completed or was poorly executed, and that funds were misappropriated by the National Football Federation (NFF).

“We are here to show the world that the mini-stadium was completed and has been in use since then,” he said.

Chika-Ladan said the facility had hosted several football competitions, both national and local, adding that Kebbi United Football Club used it as its home ground during the last football season.

“Zamfara United has also relocated to Kebbi to make use of the facility.

“What people are saying is only a figment of their imagination.

“Those spreading such rumours are enemies of progress and of Nigeria,” he said.

‘Project Handled By FIFA’

The FA chairman explained that the project was directly handled by FIFA, which appointed both the contractor and consultant through an international competitive bidding process, won by Nigerian firms.

“The project was valued at 1.8 million US dollars (about ?400 million at the time), covering the construction of the playing pitch, a 250-seat pavilion, a medical clinic, dressing rooms for teams A and B, officials, perimeter fencing, landscaping, and maintenance equipment.

“The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mr. Shehu Dikko, has already provided clarification on the project’s implementation,” he added.

Similarly, the Chairman, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in Kebbi, Mr Mansur Senchi, called on the National President of SWAN, Mr Isaiah Benjamin, to caution those spreading false information about the project.

“For someone to sit in another part of the country and write bogus, unfounded stories is unacceptable; we will no longer tolerate it,” Senchi said.

Controversy

The mini-stadium project in Birnin Kebbi, funded under FIFA’s Forward Programme, had faced intense scrutiny following widespread criticism of its appearance and value.

The controversy gained traction when FIFA used the stadium’s image on its social media banner, prompting public outrage and calls for an investigation.

But the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, denied allegations of misappropriation of the $1.2 million FIFA fund meant for the construction of the mini-stadium in the state.

Dikko, who spoke in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today last Friday, said, “That is where people are getting it wrong; no one collected the money. I’m not here to defend the NFF; they can defend themselves.

“But as the leader of sports in Nigeria, what happens to the NFF affects the entire sports ecosystem. So we need to set the record straight for people to understand how this works.” (Channels TV)