A letter protesting the reported manhandling of players of FC Taraba by some soldiers attached to the state Government House in Jalingo has been sent to the Office of the Taraba State Governor by the League Management Company.
FC Taraba players were at the Government House on Friday to press their demand for the payment of arrears of 11 months salary by the Management of the club owned by the Taraba State Government.
Soldiers on duty at the Government House were said to have assaulted the players who had barricaded the entrance to the Government House.
The LMC in the letter said the soldiers’ conduct was unacceptable.
The LMC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, began by offering assurances to players of FC Taraba and other clubs’ players facing challenges of receiving their financial entitlements from their respective clubs saying: “We are working to protect your interests to ensure that you are paid soonest but you are all advised to ensure that all your actions are at all times guided by the provisions of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Rules and Framework.”
Dikko said already, the engagement with the respective state governments whose clubs were owing players have started yielding desired results as some of the clubs have since started their players.
In the letter to the Taraba State Government, Dikko reminded the Government of its undertaken earlier in the season to pay all the outstanding entitlements of the players and expressed surprise that the promise was not kept even after the season had ended.
The letter reads: “The LMC received with dismay the report of the said assault on the players by the soldiers attached to the government house. We consider it unacceptable and condemn this action by the soldiers in its totality.”
The LMC Chairman further reminded the Taraba State Government that “it was on the strength of the undertaking to the LMC by the government in a letter dated September 25, 2015 with Reference No. GHJ/COS/S/3 and signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor and subsequent engagements which led to the commencement of some payments to the players that led to the suspension of sporting sanctions placed on the club for breaches of the Rules and Framework”.
The LMC therefore reiterated that those sporting sanctions would be enforced should the Club not provide evidence to prove that the players have received their entitlements. Dikko listed some of the sanctions to include “that all funds due to FC Taraba from the LMC would be withheld and used to commence payment to players on pro rata basis.
“That there will be a transfer ban on FC Taraba which means that the club will not be allowed to buy any new player until they have paid all outstanding due to the current players.
“That the LMC will seize all the revenues to be generated by FC Taraba from transfer of players as such revenue would be used to offset any outstanding debts due to the current players.
“The LMC would wish to also remind the club that it may not be allowed to register as a club for the next season in any of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) leagues until they have paid the players and or would start the season with a six points deduction.”
Dikko concluded by informing the club that “in addition to the foregoing, the LMC has put the Taraba State Government on notice that additional sanctions shall be meted out to the club should government fail to pay the players as they promised and or any further maltreatment of the players occur.”
The LMC letter said such further sanctions may include but not limited to issuing free clearance to the players of the club without prejudice to the amount of money owed them. It will also make a case to the NFF Executive Committee to ban the Taraba State Government from operating or being the owner of any professional football club in Nigeria and or expel FC Taraba from participating in all leagues and NFF competitions.
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