Indian Hemp Palaver: Ghana Angry With NFA

The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has received a petition from its Ghanaian counterparts over the misdemeanour of the Super Eagles' bodyguards during the recent World Cup qualifier between Ghana and Nigeria played at the Accra Sports Stadium.

P.M. Sport scooped that the GFA is piqued over the discovery of wraps of Indian hemp inside one of the rooms allocated to the bodyguards at Wangara Hotel situated around Labourne area of Accra.

The rooms which were earlier reserved by the GFA for Super Eagles players and officials were conceded to the bouncers after the Eagles settled for a more befitting accommodation at the cosy Central Hotel in Osu at no extra cost.

A source at the soccer secretariat in Abuja disclosed yesterday that the NFA was greatly disturbed by the petition as wraps of Indian hemp were said to have littered one of the rooms occupied by the bodyguards.

The GFA, in the petition, reminded the NFA that Indian hemp remains a banned hard drug in Ghana and may be forced to undertake a thorough check of rooms allocated to Nigerian delegations in future matches.

Though the NFA tacitly gave recognition to the bodyguards, following its decision to accommodate the men in the hotel earlier reserved for the Eagles, it is unlikely that the recognition may last long as the soccer house is considering rebuffing the bouncers when next the Eagles play a home match. Aside the GFA's petition, the NFA has been inundated with negative media reports over the unconventional antics of the bodyguards of Nigeria's foreign-based players. Many Nigerian journalists who travelled to Accra for the epic match between the Black Stars and the Eagles were barred from talking to the Nigerian players after the match. It is generally believed that Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, introduced the bodyguards to the Super Eagles camp as he was the one who reportedly provided them with the communication gadgets that they now use.