U23 star Obanor dismisses Abia Warriors’ claim of abscondment •Documents show BJ Academy’s ownership of the player News

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U23 star Obanor dismisses Abia Warriors’ claim of abscondment •Documents show BJ Academy’s ownership of the player

By Nelson Dafe on January 20, 2016

Nigeria’s under-23 international Erhun Obanor has debunked the accusations of Premier League side Abia Warriors that he has deserted the club illegally. The defender contends that he has duly served his loan period with the club which ended last November and hence is no longer their player.

Abia Warriors Chairman Emeka Inyama had earlier in the week alleged that the 21-year-old Obanor (who has recently transferred to Tunisian side Club Africain) absconded from his team and warned clubs from doing business with the defender.

In a swift reaction, Obanor responded by explaining that he was loaned from division one side Bendel Insurance FC of Benin City (who themselves got him on loan from grassroots side BJ Foundation of Benin City) to Abia Warriors in 2014 on a one-year deal.

“I was loaned to Abia Warriors for one season and the agreement has ended (in November 2015). Let Inyama show the world the valid contract I signed with the club,” Obanor said.

Obanor also hit out at Abia Warriors for failure to pay him his November salary. “Other players were paid their November salary but I was not paid. I called the chairman and he told me my loan had ended, and that the club wasn’t owing me. I’m shocked he’s saying now that I’m still a player of Abia Warriors,” Obanor added.

The Dream Team star also noted that Abia Warriors have not paid Bendel Insurance the 500,000 naira loan fee agreed by both clubs prior to his joining the eastern outfit.

Meanwhile, Daily Sports has obtained several documents which show that Obanor was loaned to Abia Warriors from Bendel Insurance and that BJ Foundation were the official and original owners of the player before his (three-and-a-half year deal) move to Club Africain recently.

One of the documents is a letter from Bendel Insurance to Abia Warriors clearing Obanor to play for the latter on a one-year loan deal. The letter, signed by Insurance club secretary Charles Ihimekpen reads: “Based on the Memorandum of Understanding reached between Bendel Insurance FC and Abia Warriors, we hereby clear Erhun Obanor of Bendel Insurance to Abia Warriors on a one year loan.”

Another letter from the Edo State Football Association to the Nigeria Football Federation in 2014 clarifies that “Erhun Obanor is a bonafide player of BJ Foundation.”

There is yet another letter from Bendel Insurance in 2013 to BJ Foundation reaffirming that “BJ are the original owners of the player.”

•Photo shows a letter from the Edo Football Association to the NFF confirming the status of Obanor as a player of BJ Foundation.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 20, 2016