Former Niger Tornadoes Coach, Abdullahi Biffo, accuses club of indebtedness

Posted : 04 February 2024

The American-based Nigerian-born tactician, Abdullahi Biffo, has disclosed that one of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) campaigners, Niger Tornadoes, still owes him a sum of ₦4.3 million to date.

This was in response to the circumstances surrounding his exit from the club, which many people believe was shrouded in secrecy.

With Coach Bala Muhammed taking up the role while he was being owed four months' salaries.

The tactician was asked about his spell at Niger Tornadoes as the head coach between 2014 and 2016, during which he qualified the team for the Premier League, also leading the team to the Niger State FA Cup victory and becoming the NNL Super 4 champions in 2015.

When speaking about whether he was still owed by the club's hierarchy, he said:

"I didn't leave Tornadoes without notification because the league was ongoing (mid-season), and Tornadoes were in 10th position when I got a letter to step aside and hand over the club activities to my immediate assistant then, Coach Bala (Katsina United staff now). They said they would call me to defend myself, which they didn't.

"They stopped paying my salary, which, even before then, I have been owed about four months' salary, which amounted to more than four million during that time."

"I sold my house in Minna because I felt betrayed in the place I thought was my home (Minna), I was still treated badly."

"Before then, I got an offer from Abia Warriors to join the club. I waited at Tornadoes for a good three months without getting any response and salary. Since I had an offer from Abia already, I had to tender my resignation letter and ask for my entitlements; there was no official letter of sack given to me."

"I wrote to LMC at that time, headed by Sheu Dikko. I also wrote to NFF, copying the letter given to me as a suspension letter, along with my entitlements, and to my surprise, nothing was done.

He continued:
"Nobody asked me anything about that, not until I went to explain myself to journalists."
"I have not forgiven them because it is my hard-earned money and I should not be denied."

"The chairman then called me to a round table meeting with the club's management, and he told me they would pay me because it is my entitlement, but they won't pay me my bonuses. As I'm speaking now, I have not been paid a dime, and I could not go back due to the respect I had, and my life is not about money."

He concluded, "I have not been paid, and I will not ask about it because my life is not all about money; it is my sweat either way. But this has made me stronger. Despite all the sacrifices I made, it is sad I have not been paid, and I reported to the NFF and LMC, without a response."

In his final words, he said:
"I just want to thank God because my life did not depend on that, because if it did, I don't know where I would be right now," the BFUT trainer in Colombia concluded.

Former Niger Tornadoes Coach, Abdullahi Biffo, accuses club of indebtedness

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