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FIBA U17: NAPTIP denies writing Spanish Embassy

•NBBF petitions FIBA, •Dead official signed letter
Pius Ayinor
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has denied writing the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria advising them to deny the Nigeria U17 basketballers visas.
NAPTIP who sent a prepared statement to The PUNCH on Wednesday said they were shocked to read that it was the agency that influenced the decision of Spain.
The letter signed by Josiah Emerole read, “The attention of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has been drawn to the news indicating that the Nigerian national Under-17 Women’s basketball team billed to participate in the FIBA Under-17 World Championship in Zaragoza, Spain have been denied visa by the Spanish Embassy based on a letter from the Agency.
“We deny this report in its entirety. NAPTIP never wrote to the Spanish embassy or anybody at all on this matter. It is true that the Nigerian Basketball Federation through a letter signed by its Secretary-General, Okeke Patrick, wrote a letter to the agency seeking assistance for the team. Calls were made to the Secretary-General to visit the agency to clarify the type of assistance needed. He said he would not be able to come but that he will send his deputy.  Till today, nobody came from the NBBF on the matter and there was no basis to write to anybody or Embassy on it.”
The agency added that following the enquiry it made at the embassy, it was confirmed that no letter was received from NAPTIP but discovered other reasons that could have forced the Spaniards to deny the Nigerian girls visas.
“We were also informed that the visa application was denied based on three issues: the application was full of irregularities; the application came late and; the person who signed the application was late and couldn’t have signed such an application.”
And following the denial of visas the NBBF has formally written basketball’s world governing body, FIBA, asking it to investigate the sad and embarrassing development.
The federation said it had to take this step, “Because the Spanish Consul in Lagos did not only deny Nigeria its hard earned opportunity to play in the FIBA Women’s U17 Championship and caused the country a huge embarrassment, but also caused the players and staff of the NBBF serious emotional stress.
“The federation is pained because it took serious steps in filing the visa application which included writing all Nigerian authorities like the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
“While the Customs and Immigration acknowledged the NBBF letter and pledged their support in seeing the smooth passage of the team to the championship, NAPTIP never replied.”

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