NFF to pay Super Eagles full bonus, begins preparations for Zambia

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has opted to pay players and officials of the Super Eagles full match bonus for Monday’s crunchy 2018 FIFA World Cup encounter against Cameroon in Yaounde.

According to a statement from the NFF, the players and officials will receive their full match bonuses even though the tie in Yaounde ended in a draw.

The statement noted that NFF President Amaju Pinnick disclosed this to the team on board the ARIK Air Bombadier CRJ 1000 aircraft that flew the Nigerian delegation back from Yaounde on Tuesday morning.

It noted that excited players and officials applauded as Pinnick insisted that it was just reward for masterclass output by the Nigerian squad over the two legs of the most anticipated fixture of Group B.

The statement quoted Pinnick as saying “when the draw was made last year, people said ours was the Group of Death. But you have stayed very much alive with scintillating performances and done the nation very proud.”

The member of CAF Executive Committee also disclosed on Tuesday morning that preparations for next month’s big encounter against Chipolopolo of Zambia had started in earnest.

He said “even before the conclusion of this second match against Cameroon in Yaounde, we had started arrangements for the match against Zambia.

“The Chairman of Organizing Committee (NFF 1st VP, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi) will travel to Uyo this week to see Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and they will go through the check-list together.

“Nothing will be left to chance. It is a very big match and the way things have turned out against Cameroon, it is now an even bigger match than the ones we played against Cameroon.

“There must be no room for error,” Pinnick said.