Former Lobi Stars vice chairman and ex-Super Eagles defender, Dominic Iorfa, has dismissed allegations of financial misconduct leveled against him, insisting that the Benue State government is instead indebted to him to the tune of more than N400 million.
Speaking on the programme ECN Hard Truth, Iorfa described the fraud allegations contained in the Benue State forensic audit report as false and an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
“They owe me over N400 million. I have documentation for it. I never embezzled money. I was wrongly accused,” he declared.
Iorfa, who returned to manage Lobi Stars in 2022 under then-Governor Samuel Ortom, said the club’s finances were transparent during that period, with direct access to the Accountant General for salaries and match expenses.
However, he claimed things changed when Governor Hyacinth Alia assumed office, introducing a new financial system that caused delays and disruptions.
“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 explained.
According to him, during Alia’s tenure, he received funding for just 14 matches out of the 57 Lobi Stars played, including 10 FA Cup fixtures costing around N6m each.
> “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 said.
The Benue State government had earlier set up a forensic audit committee to probe Lobi Stars’ finances between 2020 and 2024. Its white paper report, released in January, indicted three former vice chairmen, including Iorfa, and directed them to refund a total of N2.4bn. Iorfa’s tenure was cited for nearly N1.8bn of the alleged unaccounted funds.
But the former football administrator rejected the report, maintaining that all expenditures were properly documented and accusing the government of deliberately trying to destroy his name.
He also pointed to the club’s recent collapse as evidence of poor management after his exit. Lobi Stars were relegated in April, ending their 27-year stay in the topflight with one of the worst records in Nigerian league history—winning just one match in the second half of the season and finishing with only six victories overall.
“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,” Iorfa said.
Despite his grievances, Iorfa said he remains open to assisting the club if called upon.
“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 added.
Governor Alia had in September 2024 dismissed Iorfa and handed Lobi Stars back to the Benue Sports Council, appointing a six-man interim board led by Dr. Philip Nongu.
With the club’s relegation now compounding the crisis, Lobi Stars—once league champions in 1999 and a continental force—face one of the darkest chapters in their history.
