By Samuel Adeola
Former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed how he intervened to secure the payment of players’ bonuses after the 2018 FIFA World Cup, following delays by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel said the players were owed bonuses from qualifying for the tournament, but repeated assurances from officials yielded no results.
“I went above the president of the NFF to get those bonuses,” he said.
Mikel explained that as tension grew in camp, he contacted then Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, to raise the issue.
According to him, the intervention produced results within 24 hours, with the funds delivered directly to the team’s hotel.
“The money was delivered hand to hand. Millions of dollars,” he said, adding that the bonuses were shared among players the following day.
He acknowledged that the move angered senior NFF officials but insisted the players were only claiming what was rightfully theirs.
Nigeria exited the 2018 World Cup at the group stage, earning $16 million in prize money.
