Nigerian Footballer Victor Agali Arrested With Fake Passports

PHOTO: VICTOR AGALI.

Los Angeles, Jan 4, (THEWILL) - Former Nigerian striker Victor Agali, who plays for Greek side Levadiakos, was arrested on Saturday December 27, 2009 at Schiphol airport for being in possession of two fake passports, according to Dutch military police.

“At passport control, On December 27, he was found to be in possession of a fake passport,” according to spokesman Robert van Kapel.

Further investigations showed that the 31-year-old striker who was on transit from Lagos to Athens, Greece, had two sets of fake travel documents.

“In the one, the page with his personal particulars has been modified, in the other it was the visa,” Kapel said.

A panel of Judges will decide on Wednesday whether or not to extend his provisional detention.

His lawyer, Bob Kaarls told the AFP that Agali was returning to Greece after a visit to his wife and kids. Agali has maintained his innocence, Bob said.

“The first passport judged problematic by the officials was sent to him in this form by post by Nigerian Authorities in 2007.

“Dutch authorities claimed that the Schengen visa contained in the second document issued by Cyprus did not meet the required standard,” he added.”

His club, Levadiakos has shown its willingness to post bail for his release.

Agali has played for Toulon, Nice and Olympic Marseille all in France and German side, FC Schalke.

Two days earlier, on Christmas Day, Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab boarded a Detroit-bound Northwest plane, which he tried to blow up 20 minutes from touch down in Detroit, Michigan.