FIFA Agent John Shittu Threatens Defamation Lawsuit Against Samson Siasia, Demands ₦250Million and Public Apology Over 2008 Olympics Bribery Allegation
A legal battle is brewing between former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia and a prominent FIFA-licensed football agent, John Shittu, over bombshell bribery allegations linked to Nigeria’s 2008 Olympic football campaign.
Shittu, through Lagos-based law firm Godwin Dick Inyang & Co., has issued a 14-day ultimatum to Siasia, demanding a public apology and ₦250 million in damages for what he calls “false and defamatory” claims.
The controversy stems from a June 30 interview Siasia gave to Elegbete TV on YouTube, where he alleged that an agent representing then-Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi offered him €50,000 to secure Mikel’s spot in Nigeria’s U-23 Olympic team.
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Siasia, who coached the team during the Beijing Olympics, claimed the offer came after Mikel allegedly refused to honour previous national call-ups during the qualifiers. “Mikel wasn’t even a starter at Chelsea then,” he said. “His agent said he would give me €50,000 for Mikel to play, but I refused because he didn’t help us qualify.”
In a strongly worded legal notice, Shittu’s team flatly denied the claims, calling them “malicious and grossly defamatory.” The letter insists the allegations have badly damaged Shittu’s reputation both locally and internationally, especially in the global football community.
The law firm is demanding the following within 14 days:
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A public retraction of the interview statements on all platforms where it appeared
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Apologies published in national newspapers such as The Punch and ThisDay, and on websites like Sahara Reporters and Soccernet.ng
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A written commitment from Siasia not to make similar claims in the future
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A ₦250 million compensation for loss of reputation and related damages
The letter, dated July 3, warns that failure to comply will lead to full legal proceedings, including a suit for aggravated damages and a court-ordered injunction.
As of reporting time, Siasia had not responded to calls or messages, and it remains unclear if he has formally received the notice.
This legal challenge adds to Siasia’s troubled history. In 2019, FIFA handed him a lifetime ban for allegedly agreeing to accept bribes related to match-fixing. The ban was later reduced to five years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the stain remains.
Though unrelated to the FIFA sanction, this fresh dispute has reignited concerns over ethics, transparency, and player-agent influence in Nigerian football.
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