Armed robbers attacked officials of the Warri Wolves Football Club owned by the Delta State government carting away N3.5m said to be meant for players winning bonuses and other outstanding allowances.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the incident occurred last week Friday when the officials of the club were returning from a new generation bank where they had gone to withdraw money.
They were however waylaid by a three-man armed gang around Enerhen Motel in Uvwie Council Area of the state while returning to Peabody Hotels where the players are lodged.
No casualty was recorded during the attack.
The club which finished among the top four in the Nigerian Premier League last season has been struggling to win matches in the current season.
Sources who pleaded for anonymity told our correspondent that the officials of the club opted to keep the information from journalists. There is also an allegation they contacted some unnamed sports writers in the state pleading that they don’t publish anything concerning incident because of the manner the attack occurred.
The club’s media officer, Azuka Chiamaka and the team manager (Gordons) narrowly escaped being shot by the AK47 riffles wielding men.
One of our sources said, “It happened close to Enerhen Motel, after Azuka and Gordons had left the bank opposite Urhobo College. The three-man gang were putting on military fez caps
“Warri Wolves officials collected N6m and N3.5m was kept in one bag, the other bag had N2.5m which was kept inside Azuka’s tyre space in his car booth. The robbers only collected the N3.5m they saw thinking that was all.”
A source at the Delta Football Association in Asaba who drew the attentionof our correspondent to the incident said, “The money was meant for the players winning bonuses for some outstanding games they won this season. The players had also been paid their two months’ salaries that same day.”
When contacted, the spokesperson of the club, Azuka, who was part of the team that had gone to the bank to withdraw the money said he was in a meeting and could not speak on the issue.
The spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, SP Celestina Kalu confirmed the incident when contacted on Thursday.
credit: punchng