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Former Nigerian international footballer John Mikel Obi has disclosed how he pushed the issue of unpaid payments for Super Eagles players during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel said that the players had been due qualification money for months, despite repeated assurances from Nigeria Football Federation officials that payment would be made once the team was in camp. As the squad’s uneasiness rose and the delays continued, he decided to escalate the situation.

Mikel stated that he contacted Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to late President Muhammadu Buhari at the time. According to him, the matter was quickly rectified, with a private plane apparently delivering millions of dollars in cash directly to the team’s hotel within 24 hours.

“Talking about fighting for players’ bonuses, I went above the president of the NFF to get those bonuses, which is what I did a couple of times during the World Cup,” Mikel said.

He added that the problem began well before the competition, when players frequently inquired about their unpaid bonuses. Officials promised him that the issue will be rectified once the team was assembled.

“Leading up to the World Cup, we were owed money. We had been asking for this money for months before the tournament. They kept telling me, ‘Oh, Mikel, don’t worry, the money will be sorted when you come to camp.’ I said, ‘Okay, no problem, but make sure the money is there because the players are asking me about their bonuses,’” he recounted.

After arriving in camp, Mikel stated that he followed up with the team secretary and NFF president but received the same promises. A week passed, and the players continued to express concern, believing they would never receive their money when the World Cup concluded.

“I called him and said, ‘Mr Chief of Staff, we have a serious issue in the national team. We need this money to settle the players. This is what was promised.’ Twenty-four hours later, a private plane arrived. The money was delivered to the hotel, hand to hand. Millions of dollars,” Mikel said.

He stated that he personally handed the cash to the team secretary with specific instructions that it should not be misappropriated.

“I took the money and handed it to the team secretary and told him to hold it. I said, ‘Make sure this money does not go to the president or anyone else. This money belongs to the players.’”

The former Chelsea midfielder has always been hailed for his leadership role with the Super Eagles, and his experience shows the obstacles that players confront even during important international competitions.

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