Nigeria Football Federation Terminates Stephen Keshi’s Contract

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the termination of the appointment of Stephen Keshi as the Head Coach of the Senior National soccer team, the Super Eagles.

A statement by the NFF Executive Committee on Saturday said this decision was made, “having thoroughly reviewed the reports/findings of the NFF Disciplinary Committee and NFF Technical and Development Committee.”

It added that in taking the decision, the committee reviewed the actions and inactions of Keshi, in the performance of his duties as the Eagles’ Head Coach in which, “we found to lack the required commitment to achieve the federation’s objectives as set out in the coach’s employment contract’’.

The statement adds: “to this end and pursuant to the provisions of Clause 4.3 of the Employment Contract between Mr Stephen Keshi and the NFF (The Contract) and the various clauses therein, the Nigeria Football Federation has decided to exercise its option to summarily terminate the employment contract of Mr Stephen Keshi with the Federation with immediate effect.”

It said the termination was “without prejudice to the settlement of any existing and due financial obligations between the NFF and Keshi’’.

The statement quoting its 1st Vice-President, Seyi Akinwunmi, on behalf of executive committee, assured Nigerians, “the decision was not taken lightly or with any prejudice, but in the ultimate interest of Nigerian football”.

The officials then thanked Keshi for his services to the country and wished him the very best in his future endeavours.

The statement said in the interim, the Eagles’ team affairs would be jointly managed by Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusuf and the Technical Directorate of the federation, headed by Coach Shaibu Amodu, until it named in due course a new Head Coach.

Over the last two weeks the federation had through its technical commiittee, been investigating Keshi over allegations that he was one of the many coaches that applied to fill the vacant position of Chief Coach of the Ivorian Senior National team, the Elephants of Coted’Ivoire.

Keshi was said to have denied applying for the job. Keshi’s name was conspicuously missing in a short list of five being considered for the job that Ivorian FA released earlier in the week.