16 Years After Career-Ending Injury, Ex-Golden Eaglets Striker Cries Out Over Alleged NFF Abandonment

Daud Olatunji

Sixteen years after suffering a career-ending knee injury while representing Nigeria, former national U-17 striker, Ibanga Mbetobong Samuel, popularly known as Mbet Samuel, has renewed his call for justice, alleging that the Nigeria Football Federation abandoned him without adequate medical support or compensation.

Mbet, who is currently serving as a National Youth Service Corps member, said he had continued to live with severe pain and the debilitating effects of osteoarthritis since the injury, which he claimed ended his promising football career.

Speaking on his ordeal, the former Golden Eaglets player said repeated attempts to obtain assistance from the NFF had failed, leaving him and his family to bear the financial and emotional consequences of the injury.

“I still live with an incurable knee disease known as osteoarthritis for 16 years now and my knee is paining me seriously,” Mbet said.

He added, “All the pains, shame, disgrace, poverty, tears and sorrow that my family and I passed through because of this career-ending injury, I suffered without compensation or consolation by the NFF.”

Mbet’s renewed complaint comes amid an ongoing legal battle with the football federation over the alleged failure to provide or sponsor treatment for the injury he said he sustained while playing for Nigeria’s U-17 team.

According to court documents cited in previous reports, Mbet is seeking N2bn in damages from the NFF over the alleged neglect.

The suit, filed as FHC/OW/FHR/30/2025 at the Federal High Court in Owerri, reportedly accused the federation of subjecting him to what he described as inhuman and degrading treatment by failing to provide adequate medical care after the injury.

Mbet said the consequences of the injury had extended far beyond the football pitch, leaving him unable to engage in strenuous work and forcing him to resort to menial occupations to survive.

He reportedly worked as a butcher and dealt in metal scraps after his football career was cut short.

The former footballer said there were days when he could barely stand, while running and climbing had become extremely difficult.

Mbet said his legal struggle had also encountered setbacks after the Federal High Court in Owerri reportedly ruled that the matter fell outside its jurisdiction.

According to him, Justice Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweibo directed him to seek redress at the National Industrial Court.

“The judge of the Federal High Court in Owerri, Hon. Justice Iniekenimi Nicholas Oweibo, in his final judgment said it is not in his jurisdiction to make judgment over my case and we should go to the Industrial Court,” he said.

He expressed frustration that, after years of seeking help, he was still battling to obtain justice over an injury he sustained while representing the country.

“Left without justice for the career-ending injury I suffered playing for my country Nigeria and now I am a corper serving Nigeria again the second time,” he said.

The legal dispute had earlier suffered a delay after the NFF was reportedly absent from a hearing in July 2025.

The case was said to have been fixed for definite hearing, but the federation was reportedly neither present nor represented by counsel, prompting the court to order that a fresh hearing notice be served on the NFF.

Mbet further alleged that efforts to formally seek assistance from the football federation had been frustrated.