A former Nigeria international, Peterside Ndah, has charged the Nigeria Football Federation to probe the injury situation which reportedly forced striker Sadiq Umar to exit the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
Before Nigeria’s first game, the Real Sociedad player sustained an injury and the medical team ruled him out.
The medical team said the striker’s recovery will take up to 15 days.
The Jose Peseiro-led crew thereafter replaced him with Paul Onuachu, who featured towards the end of the game against Equatorial Guinea.
Shockingly, Umar featured for Sociedad against Osasuna less than 48 hours after returning to his team in Spain.
Ndah joined other concerned Nigerians outraged by this development by calling on the NFF to investigate the matter at all levels.
He said: “If there is conspiracy on the part of Umar, maybe he wanted to return to his club, he should be banned because Nigeria is bigger than any individual.
“The other angle is the medical team.
“If they did not do a good job with their assessment of the player, the entire team should be fired.
“The NFF must be decisive on this because the whole world is watching and we cannot afford to fold our arms on a sensitive issue like that during a big tournament.”
On Wednesday, Peseiro said he was shocked and confused about the development.
He said: “I approved a replacement based on the 15-day recovery date presented by the medical team.
“I am surprised he is fit to play again.”
The NFF had earlier backed the medical team, stating that the body did a professional job on Umar before he was asked to rejoin his club in Spain.
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According to a statement from the NFF: “We are surprised at the news concerning Sadiq Umar and how he was withdrawn from the team camp.
“Our medical team meticulously abided by the best medical procedures and were diligent in their processes and conclusions before advising Head Coach José Peseiro that the player be withdrawn from AFCON.”
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