Salisu Yusuf filmed taking bribe to influence players' selection

Nigeria assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf, has been caught on camera collecting cash from men posing as football agents in exchange for the inclusion of two players in Nigeria’s squad to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2018.

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The footage was captured by Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in September 2017 – and is being broadcast for the first time by BBC Africa Eye.

The former Enyimba coach, 56, appeared to have received $1000 (N360,000) to select two players for the then upcoming fifth edition of the CHAN championship.

In the the video clip posted online by the BBC, Yusuf was supposedly entitled to some extra reward if the said players sealed moves abroad.

“ So if anything goes through and these players are able to get their contracts, you will get 15% of that contract,” one of the undercover reporters promised Yusuf , with the coach replying, “they will be in CHAN.”
The two players were eventually selected for the tournament, which was held from January 12 to February 4 in Morocco, but there’s no suggestion that the money the coach took impacted his players’ selection.
Yusuf told Anas’ crew that players’ selection was based on performance alone.

“You know in football it is supposed to be consistency and form,” he said.

Yusuf, in a statement to the BBC, has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he neither promised nor committed to selecting any player.

He also claimed that he did not demand cash from the reporters.

The coach also clarified that he received $750, not $1000 as claimed in the report.
If found guilty, Yusuf could face punishment from FIFA, CAF and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
NFF and FIFA code of ethics forbids officials and coaches from taking cash gifts.