Players of Ranger International FC refused on Thursday to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Zambia, where they are scheduled to play the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup.
The players were protesting the non-payment of their travelling allowances.
The incident happened at the Akanu Ibiam international Airport in Enugu.
A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who was at the airport reports that trouble started when the players were told by the management of the team that they will receive their allowance when they return to Nigeria.
The information made the players to revolt and insist that they were not going to honour the match, unless they were paid.
Some of the players said the management still owed them the match allowance due them when they met JS Suoara of Algeria in February.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the match against JS Souara was played in February 2017 and the first leg ended 1-1 in Algeria with 0-0 draw in Enugu.
All efforts by the General Manager/CEO of the club, Christian Chukwu, and the Team manager, Amaobi Ezeaku, to convince the players to embark on the journey fell on deaf ears.
The management was convinced that the players meant business when they jumped into their respective vehicles and left the Airport.
However, on receiving information about the protest, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Charles Ndukwe, drew the attention of the Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who immediately released fund for the settlement of the allowances.
But Ugwuanyi’s intervention came late.
The players could not make the flight as the plane had departed.
The development forced the management to shift the journey till Friday when the 28-man contingent would travel to Lagos en-route Zambia for the encounter.
Trending
- OSUN: NANS seeks intervention from Governor Adeleke, threatens protest over fee hike, palliative
- Easter Celebration: IGP orders round-the-clock water-tight security at all public spaces
- Kogi poll: SDP witness contradicts self on alleged ‘affidavit forgery’ against Governor Ododo
- No BoT in Labour Party, spokesman dismisses takeover claims
- Nigerian writer urges preservation of literary heritage amid writer shortage
- Health professionals brainstorm in Abuja, seek drug free society
- CAF announce dates for Champions League, Confederation Cup Finals
- Tayo Ayinde withdraws suit against Gani Adams, restates commitment to peace