By Umar Faruk
Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria
November 2, 2025(Series News Online)
The Chairman of the Kebbi Football Association, Alhaji Abubakar Chika-Ladan, has vehemently denied allegations of misappropriation and poor execution of the FIFA Mini-Stadium project in the state. Speaking to journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday, Chika-Ladan described the claims as baseless and unfounded.
"The project was fully completed over two years ago and has since been put to good use," Chika-Ladan stated. "We've had several national and local football competitions held here, and Kebbi United Football Club used it as their home ground during the last football season."
Chika-Ladan attributed the false narratives surrounding the project to "enemies of progress and Nigeria" who are bent on tarnishing the image of the state and the football association. He explained that the project was directly handled by FIFA, which appointed both the contractor and consultant through an international competitive bidding process.
"The project was valued at $1.8 million US dollars, covering the construction of the playing pitch, a 250-seat pavilion, medical clinic, dressing rooms, official offices, perimeter fencing, landscaping, and maintenance equipment," Chika-Ladan revealed.
The Kebbi FA Chairman also noted that the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mr. Shehu Dikko, had already provided clarification on the project's implementation.
In his remarks, the Kebbi Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr. Mansur Senchi, condemned the spread of false information about the project. "For someone to sit in another part of the country and write bogus, unfounded stories is unacceptable," Senchi warned. "We will no longer tolerate it." Senchi called on the National President of SWAN, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, to caution those spreading false information about the project.
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Sports