Cybereagles

LAGOS, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Skipper Jay Jay Okocha was named on Wednesday in Nigeria's squad for the African Nations Cup after allaying fears that he could miss the finals in Tunisia.

The midfielder is worried that money he deposited in a Nigerian bank could be lost after the bank hit trouble last year.

Okocha told Bolton Wanderers' website: 'Honestly, I am troubled... I have almost all my money in a bank in Nigeria. Now the bank has a problem and I'm in real trouble. I really don't know what to do.'

Okocha had said he would prefer to remain with Bolton during the African tournament, starting on January 24.

'This money issue is now my big problem with Nigeria, so I want to continue to play for Bolton and earn money to take care of my family,' Okocha told Brila FM, a Lagos-based sports radio station.

But Nigerian FA secretary-general Taiwo Ogunjobi said on Wednesday by telephone from Abuja: 'Okocha has given us his assurance he will be going to Tunisia and we'll work towards that.'

The midfielder was later named in the 22-man squad for the tournament where Nigeria are in Group D with fellow ex-winners South Africa and Morocco, plus debutants Benin.

Okocha was one of seven English-based players named in the squad, along with Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu.

Germany-based striker Victor Agali, who stopped playing for his country after the 2002 Nations Cup in Mali, is included in the squad, which has only two home-based players.

'I believe it's a strong squad capable of winning the trophy,' Ogunjobi said.

He added that overseas-based players who had not joined the squad at their warm-up base in the Portuguese resort of Faro would have no problems fitting in.

Nigeria, Nations Cup winners in 1980 and 1994, have their opening match against Morocco on January 27 in Monastir.

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