Settle players dues or risk CAF axe •NANPF warns Nigerian clubs going continental

NIGERIA’S quest to participate in next year’s continental club championships may be jeopardised unless the clubs that will be representing the country do the needful by settling their players’ salaries and outstanding allowances.

Rangers International FC of Enugu, Rivers United of Port Harcourt, Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi and the winner of the Federation Cup, yet to be decided, will hoist Nigeria’s flag in the 2017 CAF club championships, but that is now being threatened.

The National Association of Nigerian Professional Footballers (NANPF), the body championing the cause of professional footballers’ welfare in Nigeria, is insisting all the concerned clubs must settle all their players’ salaries or it invokes a section of the the CAF Club Licensing Regulations against them.

NANPF, in a release signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Ogidi Mohammed Mutairu, warned the clubs to update the payment of their players’ salaries or it would invoke Article 3.1 of the CAF Club Licensing Regulations.

The statement reads in part:”That refusal, delay or neglect of payment is a “mortal sin” that will lead to unintended consequences and golden embarrassment, as the club will have to contend with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in express breach of Article 3.1 of the CAF Club Licensing Regulations.”

The players union, in the statement stated that all the clubs and their state commissioners for sports have been informed of their plan should the clubs fail to settle the players.

Unpaid salaries and allowances are common features among Nigerian football clubs and in recent times the Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission had had to be involved to ensure that erring clubs are made to pay their players salaries.