Benue govt owes me N400m – Ex-Lobi boss Iorfa News

Navigation: Home / News / News / Benue govt owes me N400m – Ex-Lobi boss Iorfa

Benue govt owes me N400m – Ex-Lobi boss Iorfa

By Daily Sports Nigeria on September 13, 2025

Former Lobi Stars executive vice chairman, Dominic Iorfa, has denied allegations of financial impropriety at the club, insisting instead that the Benue State government is indebted to him to the tune of over N400m, Saturday PUNCH reports.

Iorfa said he never embezzled money while managing the Makurdi-based outfit, contrary to the claims contained in the state’s forensic audit report.

“They owe me over N400 million. I have documentation for it,” he said firmly on the programme ECN Hard Truth.

“I never embezzled money. I was wrongly accused.”

The former Nigeria international, who returned to Lobi in 2022 under former governor Samuel Ortom, explained that the system of funding under Ortom was transparent, with direct access to the Accountant General for match expenses and salaries.

According to him, the real difficulties began when Governor Hyacinth Alia assumed office and changed the financial process.

“When Governor Alia came, his style was different. For money to be released, the account had to be unlocked. Sometimes, salaries or match funds would take a month to come. If he didn’t sign, you had to look for money elsewhere to play matches,” Iorfa said.

He stressed that during Alia’s tenure, he only received funds for 14 matches out of the 57 the club played, including 10 FA Cup fixtures that cost about N6 million each.

“So if I was only given money for 14 matches and I still managed to play 57, how can anyone say I embezzled money? I was borrowing money to run the club. I even owe so many people because of that,” he added.

The Benue government had earlier set up a forensic audit committee to probe the finances of Lobi Stars between 2020 and 2024. The committee’s white paper report, released in January, indicted three former vice chairmen, including Iorfa, directing them to refund about N2.4bn to the state coffers. Iorfa’s tenure was cited as responsible for nearly N1.8bn of the alleged unaccounted funds.

But the ex-administrator described the findings as an attempt to tarnish his image, insisting that all records show how the money was spent on the team.

“Even up till today, money for many of those matches has not been paid to me. How can they accuse me of embezzlement? It is just an attempt to destroy my name,” he said.

Iorfa pointed to the club’s collapse last season as proof that he had managed it better than his successors. Lobi Stars were relegated in April, one of the earliest ever in the league’s history, after 27 years in the top-flight, finishing with just six wins and the poorest record in the league.

“Look at what happened to them. In the second round, they played 19 matches and won only one. Even that one, they had to beg Insurance to let them win. Out of 38 points available, they got just six. That is the worst record ever,” he said.

Despite his grievances, Iorfa maintained he is not bitter and is willing to assist the club if approached. “I even called the chairman and said if they needed my help, I am from Benue State, and I will always be ready. But they claimed they knew everything. If they truly knew, they would still be in the Premier League,” he said.

“If God shows them that they have offended me, they should apologise. Because they knew what they were doing.”

Governor Alia had, in September 2024, sacked Iorfa and returned Lobi Stars to the direct supervision of the Benue Sports Council, appointing a six-man interim board headed by Dr Philip Nongu.

The fallout has now been compounded by the club’s relegation, which marks a dramatic fall for the 1999 league champions and one of Nigeria’s most prominent teams on the continental stage.

Source Punch Ng

Posted September 13, 2025