Former Gombe State Football Association Chairman, Alhaji Gara Gombe, has accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and its supervising sports body  of decades-long financial mismanagement, calling for a comprehensive probe into FIFA and CAF funds received by Nigeria since 1986.

Speaking  recently  on the Channels Television’s flagship current affairs programme, Sunrise Daily, Gara reacted to the House of Representatives’ decision to launch a special audit into the alleged mismanagement of $25 million received by the NFF from FIFA and CAF between 2015 and 2025.

“I thank the Federal House of Representatives for waking up from their slumber,” Gara said. “This matter of accountability, not only in the NFF but generally in sports, has been a recurrent issue. Many of us have been shouting for over 25 years calling for accountability.”

He argued that the proposed period of investigation — 2015 to 2025 — is insufficient, urging lawmakers to extend the probe as far back as 1986.It is not far enough. They should go back from 1986 to date,” Gara insisted. “We have been saying that these FIFA funds need to be accounted for.”

Gara recalled a past incident in which FIFA’s audit revealed that over $800,000 was unaccounted for by the NFF. According to him, officials had withdrawn the funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria, exchanged them at the black market for a higher naira value, and failed to account for the proceeds.

“FIFA said in their report that they cannot account for where the money went. Less than three weeks later, the wife of a serving minister died, and the NFF donated ?25 million to her burial committee,” Gara alleged.

He described corruption in Nigerian sports administration as deep-rooted and widespread, implicating not only football administrators but also government officials and lawmakers.

“It is a complete chain of conspiracy — in the National Assembly, the Presidency, the Ministry of Sports, and the NFF,” he said. “We have former federation presidents who have built factories and mansions, yet no one is asking where the money came from.”

Gara stressed that the NFF has “a case to answer,” adding that other sports federations and the Nigerian Olympic Committee should also be investigated.

“It’s not only about football. All 28 to 30 federations, including the Olympic Committee, receive subventions from both local and international bodies. We must ask them to account for every naira and dollar.”

When asked about solutions to curb corruption in sports, Gara advocated for a gradual withdrawal of government funding and greater private sector participation.

“Funding sports should be a private sector affair. Because there is no accountability, the private sector has withdrawn. Someone collected ?3 billion from SuperSport to manage football and there is nothing to show. The person is walking freely — in fact, promoted,” he said.

He also called for regular publication of audited financial reports and stronger oversight from the National Assembly.

Gara further alleged that the current legislative probe might be politically motivated, describing it as a possible “witch hunt” against the present NFF leadership.

“If it is not a witch hunt, why have they not spoken all this while, only now? Most of the funds in question came during Amaju Pinnick’s tenure, and he is walking freely,” he argued.

Despite his scepticism, Gara declared his full support for the House of Representatives’ investigation as long as it aims to ensure accountability and not target individuals unfairly.

“They have my full backing, but if it is just to witch-hunt somebody, I will not support it,” he said.

Gara Gombe, a long-time sports reform advocate, is a former Secretary of the Nigeria Football Stakeholders’ Forum and remains a vocal critic of corruption in Nigerian sports administration.