NFF crisis: Parties agree to withdraw case, FIFA relaxes ban, gives July 17 deadline

 The world football governing body, FIFA has relaxed its ban on Nigeria, giving the country till July 17 to reinstate the sacked board of the Nigeria Football Federation.

FIFA had last week suspended Nigeria from all international football activities because of alleged government interference.

Newson247 learnt that Mrs Ebiakpo Rumson Baribote, the Chairman of Nembe City FC and others who had filed the court case that led to the sacking of the NFF board by a plateau high court last week, might have agreed to settle out of court. The agreement has been conveyed to FIFA which is ready to lift the ban by July 17.

Hon. Justice P. L Lot of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos had granted the Order of Interlocutory Injunction restraining the president of the NFF, the executive committee members as well as the NFF Congress from running affairs of Nigerian football pending the determination of the Motion on Notice before the court.

But the strike embarked upon by judiciary workers stopped the court from hearing the “Motion on Notice” case on July 11.

A source in the NFF said: "It's a frustrating scenario because of the ongoing strike," said a Nigerian official who preferred not to be named. There was no court sitting on the original date of hearing [11 July] which has stalled efforts."

If the ban is not lifted, Nigeria may miss out of the Under-20 Women's World Cup that starts in August in Canada and there is also a threat to the men's under-17 side's participation in an African Championship qualifier this weekend.