NFA unmasks brain behind Yaro Yaro-Gate

Football authorities in Nigeria have lifted the supposed thick veil that had hitherto shielded initiator of recent attempt at rubbishing the historic feat of Enyimba of Aba in the 2003 African Champions League.

Confederation of African Football (CAF), the continent's soccer ruling body has launched investigations into a case of unethical conduct levelled against Enyimba by tournament runners-up Ismaili of Egypt.

Officials of the Egyptian club, armed with a document believed to have emanated from unidentified source in Nigeria, allege that Enyimba had fielded an ineligible player,Ahmed Garba(a.k.a Yaro Yaro),when both sides met in the final of the Champions League.

However, speaking to Nigeriasports.com this weekend in Abuja,Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Secretary-General Taiwo Ogunjobi revealed that the Egyptians were on the verge of being hoodwinked by a conman who was set to rake in $60,000 from the ploy.

"We have done our investigations and discovered that a Nigerian by the fictitious name Paul Dodo is responsible for the raging controversy," said Ogunjobi.

He explained that Dodo had faxed a letter headed paper of Kano Pillars Football Club to the management of Ismaili in Egypt, claiming Yaro Yaro was not a registered player of Enyimba, but a property of Pillars when he featured for the Aba club in the Champions League.

"All the mysterious Dodo was after was to get $60,000 from Ismaili, that is what he demanded for his shameful act," narrated the NFA scribe who lamented the situation whereby a Nigerian could come up with such a plot to discredit and embarrass his fellow countrymen just for his lust for lucre.

Ogunjobi further disclosed that the NFA has forwarded genuine documents of Yaro Yaro's status at the time of playing for Enyimba to the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, adding that efforts at unravelling the true identity of the said Dodo are very much in progress.

Reports Dipo