Head coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, is owed seven months salaries by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The Super Eagles trainer and members of his back room staff have not been paid salaries by the NFF since March, 2013.
President of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, who disclosed this on Sunday, said the “hands of the federation are tied” over the issue.
“It is true that Keshi has not been paid for the past seven months but the hands of the federation are tied over this matter. It’s not as if we are hoarding this money and have refused to pay him. The NFF is in dire straits as far as financial resources are concerned. We have even had to slash the winning bonus of players of the Super Eagles from $10,000 to $5,000 as a result,” Maigari said.
The NFF chief then went on to reveal “several steps taken by the NFF to make Keshi’s life easier” following the failure to pay his wages for the past seven months.
“There are several steps taken by the NFF in this regard to make Keshi’s life easier.
“The rent of the hotel in Abuja he lives in is paid by the NFF. His feeding is taken care of by the NFF as well. He has an official car provided by the NFF and we ensure that any expense he needs to meet as he carries out his official duties are met by the NFF.
“Let me also use this medium to inform Nigerians that other staff of the NFF have also not been paid for over a year but they have continued working without complaints because they know the constraints we are facing.
“General Secretary (Musa Ahmadu) and Director of competitions (Mohammed Sanusi), Director Technical (Emmanuel Ikpeme) and Director of Finance (NFF), are just two of the staff affected. There are many others too.
“I am sure a lot of Nigerians do not know that even as the leader of the NFF, I have not received salaries for a single day so, people should understand that we are selflessly serving the nation,” Maigari said.
The NFF president, however, insisted that the coaches would be paid their salaries as soon as “things improve.”
Keshi, who took the reins from Samson Siasia in November 2011, has lost just four official games in the 33 games he has overseen as Chief Coach.
