Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has stepped in to assure Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles squad will be paid their bonus money after players boycotted training in Campinas on Thursday.

The players downed tools after a row with officials from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) concerning the structure of their bonus payments after successfully qualifying from Group E. Nigeria are due to face France in their last 16 tie on Monday and it is believed that they requested all bonuses owed were paid to them before departing for Brasilia.

However President Jonathan was forced to intervene with a personal phone call after NFF told the squad they will not receive the full amount until after the tournament when they have received their prizemoney from Fifa. Nigerian website Kickoff has reported that Sports Minister Tamuno Danagogo has now been detailed to fly into Brazil with the payment.

“The President called them this morning to assure them that the sports minister is coming in with their money,” a top NFF official was quoted as saying.

A similar situation developed before last year’s Confederations Cup, when Nigeria arrived later than scheduled before being eliminated in the group stages.

But captain Joseph Yobo has insisted that the issue is now behind them and the palyers are fully focussed on their meeting with France.

“We are here to play for our country,” he said.

“I can tell you as team captain that the team will travel to Brasilia today and we will train, and play against France.
Source:Guardian newspaper

Super Eagles please don't allow allowance distract you;na beg will beg you oh,some of us are praying,we go soon join fasting too.

When FIFA pays the NFF the prize money, will the NFF now refund FG the money being sent?

Your guess is as good as mine, everybody is looting the money in Nigeria.

[size=20pt]Why does the stup.id president ALWAYS have to wait until crisis point before he intervenes, ''promising to pay'' the players? Same thing happened in Ghana. Why can't these F.CUKING IMBE.CILE.S just arrange everything beforehand and stick to the fcu.king arrangement, so we don't have these stup.id distractions at the tournament? What can be so hard about that? FUC.KING, STUP.ID BASTAR.DS only good at embarrassing their mothers (spit).[/size]

why cant Nigerian footballers wait until after world cup before debating bonuses?

serving their country my foot!

they are serving their pockets and only interested in checking their bank accounts!

We all get paid in our daily jobs at the end of the month, the same is also true of Nigerian soldiers who die in battle fields in defence of their country

Rich footballers not being able o wait till the end of world cup before fighting for money is just a disgrace!!!!

They needed their T fare to their various clubs.I don't see Nigeria beating france.Shior?

They should buy flight tickets on time.