BREAKING NEWS: EL-KANEMI PLAYERS BLAME LMC, STORM BORNU GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Players of EL-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri have blamed the League Management Company for their woes, as the Maiduguri Warriors indebtedness to her players enters the 9th month this December with no sign of an end in sight. Late last week, the players were invited back to Maiduguri from their holidays with the promise that they would get paid the arrears owed them, but when players came from across the nation to meet the management, it was the same old song as the management and the State Commissioner for Sports promised them that they would be meeting the Governor to ensure that they would get payment. Enraged, the players stormed the Government House Maiduguri vowing not to leave there until they see the Governor.

“I received a distress call from the players almost in tears,” reveals renowned sports lawyer and Players’ advocate Barrister Johnny Precious Ogbah. “The players blame LMC for their woes, saying if the LMC had been serious with the 6 points deduction the management would have paid them their entitlements since. You will recall that the LMC first gave the club 60 days to pay or lose 6 points but they didn’t pay. They were also given 15 working days yet they did not pay and the only excuse the LMC gave is that they have received assurances from the State Governments that the money would be paid. That is not good enough, and till date the money has not been paid, leaving this players in so much distress.

“During the season the players went on strike to force their payment, instead of pressurizing the club the LMC threatened the players with life bans if they ever tried to fight for their rights again, and even went as far as reversing the walk over that was as a result of the strike. This amounts to giving EL-Kanemi Warriors a pat on the back and a thumbs up for owing the players, and they have reciprocated by refusing to pay the salaries they owe these boys.The players said to me categorically, that they are disappointed in the LMC for supporting EL-Kanemi to cheat them, and that they fear that their money will ever be paid. They also blamed their woes on a Northern conspiracy, saying the LMC are pampering El-Kanemi Warriors because they are a Northern club.

“Justice must be done and seen to be done. I am closely watching the whole scenario, and considering all legal options available. Players welfare is paramount to the success of our football, and we cannot allow clubs and administrators continue to make them suffer like this.

WE’LL BEAT EL-KANEMI FOR NDIFREKE – CHISOM

Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia top striker, Chisom Chikatara has said that the team has decided to beat El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in a Glo Premier League encounter tomorrow to celebrate club mate, Ndifreke Effiong’s birthday.

Chikatara, who has so far scored nine league goals this season including a brace in Abia Warriors’ last home game against Giwa FC, described Ndifreke as a darling of the team.

“Ndifreke will be celebrating his birthday tomorrow (Saturday 15th August, 2015) the same day we will be hosting El-Kanemi Warriors so we have decided to win for him. He is one of our best players and a darling to the club”, the Ibeku-born striker told Abia Warriors website.

Chikatara, who missed about four league games due to injury before he returned against Giwa FC, expressed happiness that he was back to full fitness level and is now ready to contribute his quota towards the realization of the club’s aspirations.

Ndifreke remains Abia Warriors’ best performer this season having started 21 of the club’s 22 league games so far and have featured for the team in alternate positions with seven goals to his credit.

He has already attracted the attention of National team handlers and is one of the 31 boys invited by Coach Samson Siasia to commence preparations for the forthcoming football event of the All-Africa games in Congo Brazzaville where the Dream Team XI has been drawn against Ghana, Egypt and Senegal.

17th MILO BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: ANOTHER YEAR OF TEAMS EMERGENCE AND CONSOLIDATION

The Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship remains an inspiration for Nigerian youth instilling life values of hard work as well as team work, discipline and fair play. The organizational structure which controlled over 10,000 Secondary Schools across the country pencilled down for this year’s edition in the four conferences after the states finals.

The first was the Confluence Conference in Lokoja in April this year followed by the Atlantic in Benin, Central Conference in Akure and Western Conference in Ibadan and culminated with the National Final just concluded in Lagos.

Each conference has its own unique features. Debutants St. Peters College Idah, Kogi State emerged Confluence Conference champions and almost sat on top at the grand finale. The Confluence Conference also produced the youngest player 12 year old Aisha Mohammed of Bilingual Secondary School, Maiduguri who was also the captain of her team. Although her school did not make it to the National Final but Aisha displayed superlative skills which confirmed she has prospects in the game.

Coach of the The Ogun State addressing his wards during The Semi-final Of The 17Th Milo Basketball Championships Zonal Qualifiers

Also in this group of first timers who excelled are Onome and Omena Akpoyibo, the 12 year old twins identified from the Central Conference in Akure. In terms of consolidation of the already existing position, the two finalists in the girl’s category. National Champions St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School Amarata, Bayelsa and runner-up Idiah College Benin City need to be mentioned.

Both teams have been rivals from the Atlantic Conference swopping positions at every encounter showing the improved standard of play from that part of the country.

Coach Chris Nomigo of Dodan Warriors Basketball Club sees this development as a great one for basketball in Nigeria. “The players are very young and skilful, if the standard is maintained; the sky is the limit for the game of basketball in Nigeria”.

Some teams have also remained consistent. Ilupeju Grammar School, Lagos and Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan Oyo State continued with the steady growth. Both teams were also present at the 2014 National Finals in Lagos.

In terms of tactical play the boy’s champion Government Secondary School Kaduna seemed to have mastered a particular strategy especially in the last quarter. Just like what the team did at the Central Conference Final against Benue. The Kaduna boys came from behind using the same reliable and dependable player David Isa’s “buzzer” shot to pick the trophy at 52-51.

President FIBA Africa (Zone 3) Col. Sam Ahmedu presents an electronic scoreboard to the organisers of the MILO championship

Of course Isa was named the Most Valuable Player of the Championship. The Public Relations Officer School Sports Federation Kudu Umar said the players “ball sense” was highly commendable.”No one was sure of who would emerge victorious because the tempo was high. Although we watched from the terrace but it was as if we were the ones on the court. The standard was very high”. The referees’ co-ordinator Halidu Mohammed was happy with the officiating. “The referees used at the National Finals were graded from their outings at the conferences.

We used the best at the National Finals”. The winning coach in the girl’s category Tony Nelson of St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School Bayelsa State noted that the Nestle Milo Basketball has shifted attention from football to basketball. “You observed that on the day of the final games, there were two other sporting events at the National Stadium Lagos, a league match at Legacy Pitch and Tennis Championship at the Tennis Court but the Indoor Sports Hall where the Milo Basketball was held was filled to capacity. Thanks to Nestle Milo, the sole sponsor.

Babagana Kalli Retains FA Chairmanship Seat In Borno State

Alhaji Babagana Kalli has been re-elected as chairman of the Borno State Football Association.

In elections conducted in Maiduguri on Thursday and supervised by Member of the NFF Executive Committee and chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Fairplay, Alhaji Sharif Rabiu Inuwa, Babagana Kalli was unopposed but still had to satisfy the statutory requirement of two-third ‘yes’ vote of the delegates.

In the event, he swept all 31 votes cast by the eligible delegates, meaning he will retain the seat for another four years.

A former Executive Secretary of the Borno State Sports Council and one-time Team Manager of El-Kanemi Warriors FC, Alhaji Kachalla Gana, who was to oppose Kalli, stepped down on the Congress floor.

Babakura Abacha also retained his seat as 1st vice chairman while Mohammed Naza was re-elected as 2nd vice chairman.

GLO NPL – El-Kanemi gets new date with Abia Warriors

A new date of Wednesday, March 26 has been announced for the postponed Match Day 2 fixture between El-Kanemi Warriors and Abia Warriors.

The League Management Company (LMC) announced that the match will be played at the Kano Pillars Stadium in Kano which will now host home fixtures of the Maiduguri-based side until further notice.

Salihu Abubakar, the Chief Operating Officer of LMC disclosed this and said “in the light of developments in Maiduguri and adjoining cities, we had to suspend all fixtures in the town and have moved their home fixtures for now to Kano”.

The match will kick-off at 4.15pm local time. Meanwhile, in Match Day 2 fixtures, Heartland will host Sharks in Owerri in a Friday Star Match while the following day, Crown FC will play home to Dolphins FC, FC Taraba will receive El-Kanemi Warriors in Jalingo and Rangers International are hosts to Kano Pillars.

In Uyo, Akwa United will clash with Kaduna United and in Katsina Ala, it is Lobi Stars versus Gombe United. Also on Wednesday, March 26, Warri Wolves are home to Enyimba International while Bayelsa United are home to Nasarawa United.

In a related development, host broadcasters of the Glo Premier League, SuperSport has said the repeat broadcast of the match between Kano Pillars and Sunshine Stars will start airing from 00.50 am on SuperSport Select and SuperSport Select Go.

It will also be aired on Tuesday at 2pm and 1am on SuperSport 9 while on Wednesday, it will be broadcast at 8am and 00.45am on SuperSport Select and SuperSport Select Go.

The broadcast schedule will continue on Thursday, March 20 on SuperSport 9 at 4.50pm and 00.50am while on Friday, the final repeat broadcast will be at 11.00am and 00.50am on SuperSport 9.

LMC Suspends League Games in Maiduguri

The League Management Company (LMC) has announced the immediate suspension of all Globacom Premier League fixtures in Maiduguri until further notice.

The suspension order was contained in a statement from the Office of the Chairman of LMC which cited current security intelligence as the reason for the decision.

“We are constrained to put on hold all Globacom Premier League games in Maiduguri until further notice due to latest security intelligence from the area and the suspended games include this weekend’s match between El-Kanemi Warriors and Abia Warriors”, the statement read.

It further advised officials of Abia Warriors not to proceed to Maiduguri for the match but to await further communication from the LMC.

“Once again, we want reassure Clubs that decisions of the LMC at all times will be guided by the need to serve the greater good and hinged on existing realities”,it concluded.

GLO NPL Week 2, ABIA WARRIORS WANT EL-KANEMI TIE RELOCATED FROM MAIDUGURI

Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia has renewed its appeal on the League Management Company (LMC) to relocate its week 2 Glo Premier League encounter with El-Kanemi Warriors from Maiduguri to another venue for security reasons.

In a Save-Our-Soul (SOS) letter signed by the Secretary of Abia Warriors FC, Mr. Oliver Ndife and sent to the Chief Operating Officer,
of LMC, Salihu Abubakar, Abia Warriors referred to its earlier correspondence on the matter which has not received an answer and
urged the LMC to relocate the week 2 encounter in order to secure the lives of officials and players who would attend the game.

“Our position on this matter is borne out of pressure from family and friends of our players and officials who are refusing to let their
loved ones travel for the match for fear of being attacked enroute to the venue of the match”, the letter read in part. It continued, “even
though it could be argued that security would be provided in Maiduguri town, our club’s fear is, what happens in transit, say between Abuja and Maiduguri”.

The club recalled the renewed killings of innocent people in the state in recent times, including the killing of several football fans at a
viewing centre in the Ajilari area of the state as well as the audacious invasion of a village in Maiduguri by members of a dreaded
sect in military camouflage in which more than 39 people who were preparing for prayers were gruesomely murdered.

The club therefore urged the LMC to hasten action and relocate the week 2 action from Maiduguri to a venue where the safety of players and officials will be guaranteed.