MAKURDI – Players of Lobi Stars Football Club (FC), Makurdi on Friday protested the nonpayment of their two months salaries and nearly missed playing their semi-final match in the ongoing Naija Super 8 competition against Remo Stars.
Meanwhile, Lobi Stars FC bowed 1 – 2 to Remo Stars in a match in which one of the players said was due to psychological effects from the protest that took place earlier in the day.
It took the intervention and persuasion by some management staff of Lobi Stars before the players later entered the field of play in the match that took place at the Mobolaji Johnson stadium, Lagos.
SportsDay gathered that matters got to a head on Friday morning when the players who raised issues on the nonpayment of their salaries lamented that they were not paid their emoluments in the last two months.
While SportsDay investigation revealed that some of the players had walked out of their camp in protest, we learnt that it took the management of the club extra efforts to get them back to camp and subsequently on the field of play.
The players were particularly piqued that despite paying some ministries, department and parastatals in Benue, the state government had not deemed it fit to pay them as at when due.
But SportsDay learnt that the players were pacified and finally sheath their swords, with a promise from officials of the club that their salaries would be paid early next week.
However, the players threathened that they would not feature in the next match, if their salaries were were not paid to them before the match. End.