Rivers Angels players petition Chairman

The duo who spoke with nigeriasports.com last week said Chairman, Larry Eze refused to pay them even after the Rivers State Government had approved money for the purpose.

According to both girls they resigned their appointment with the club in September when they could no longer cope with the hardship they were going through, but the club chairman refused to pay their wages from January to September.

According to Chinyere Ndu(right), events took a new twist when Larry Eze arrested both of them for asking to be paid.

“We had visitors one day who we later found out were police men from the Trans Amadi Police Station. I got slapped twice by one of them while Charity was actually locked up in the cell with boys until our lawyer came over to bail her.” Chinyere Ndu told nigeriasports.com.

Larry Eze reportedly petitioned the police that one of the girls got the services of hired assassins to kill him but Charity waived it off as a cheap attempt by the club chairman to distract attention from the fact that he owes them.

“I did not send anybody to kill him and I do not know where he got that story. I only went to collect my salary. If he had paid us all along all this would not have happened. He owes us and is still using the police to harass us. It is not fair.”

Charity Ifenkoh said both of them had already made a case with the Rivers State Sports Ministry and would go to Government house in a bid to push their case to the Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili.

Nigeriasports.com can authoritatively reveal that the Club Chairman refused to pay five of his players- Chinyere Ndu, Charity Ifenkoh, Ngozi Onwubiko, Maria Patrick and Ogadi Anyaele.

most consistent player, Ngozi Onwubiko(above) was also not paid

While Chinyere, Charity and Ngozi resigned through the NFA in September after playing for nine months without salaries, Maria had to leave for home after she took ill and Ogadi Anyaele's parents forced her go return home rather than suffer in the club's camp.

Larry Eze headstrong

Meanwhile, Larry Eze in a swift reaction says he should be left alone to spend his money the way he wants to.

Larry Eze told nigeriasports.com via the telephone that he would be more comfortable if the media leaves him alone to run his club the way he wants it rather than continue to paint him in bad light.

The embattled club chairman told nigeriasports.com that he is not bothered by the negative media reports about him anyway.  

“The Rivers State Government gave me money which is my money so why wont you people leave me alone to spend my money the way I want to?”

“Please just leave me alone and let me see if I will survive without the press.”

Larry Eze claims he did not owe any player sign on fees or salaries last year, but it is on record that four players- Celina Akide, Maureen Ogu, Antonia Ikeke and Oluchi Ezeji were not paid complete sign on fees last season, a development which made Antonia and Oluchi leave for FCT Queens of Abuja where they are seemingly happier.