FRANCIS ACHI /Abuja



An ugly incident was witnessed outside the office of League Management Company (LMC) in Maitama, Abuja when Imama Amapakabo, title winning coach of Enugu Rangers was arrested on Wednesday evening and was taken to the Police station in Maitama, where he spent the night and was whisked away to Enugu state early hours of Thursday.

Imama, a member of 1985 World Cup winning Golden Eaglets team in China has been having a running battle with the management of Rangers Football Club of Enugu over his suspension and eventual sack from the team he tutored to break the 32 years jinx of not winning the league, as he won the Nigeria Professional Football League ( NPFL) title last year.

According to the information gathered by PM EXPRESS in Abuja, Coach Imama was supposed to have a meeting organised by the LMC with the management of Enugu Rangers and a representative of LMC to iron out the differences and chart the way forward between the club and the coach, by resolving the matter amicably.

Unfortunately, Imama was arrested outside the LMC office immediately he stepped out of the building on the account that he is still holding in his possession the offcial car given to him by the management of Rangers after the termination of his contract few months ago.

The former assistant coach of Enyimba of Aba was then taken to the Maitaima police station, where he spent the night before being whisked away to Enugu early on Thursday.

PM EXPRESS scoped that Imama insisted that Enugu Rangers is owing him about N28million on the breach of contract and other unpaid financial entitlements , but the management of the team have a contrary opinion.

The image maker of the team, Foster Chime further spoke on the matter when he informed PM EXPRESS via telephone conversation that the club is not owing the embattled coach any money and even informed further that Imama refused to handover the car and his official apartment in Enugu to the club.

“It is very unfortunate that the matter got to this stage. I want to state here and you can quote me that Enugu Rangers is not owing Coach Imama any money. He was even given N4million for winning the league title last year. It is just sad, but he ought to have done the right thing by submitting all the property of the club in his possession to the management,” Chime said.

It has been observed over the years that the management of Enugu Rangers are fond of having running battles with their coaches in terms of honouring their financial obligations to their coaches and aside from Imama Amapakabo, the club is also having financial issues with Coach John Obuh, another former coach of the club, who was sacked about three years ago and has not been paid all his financial entitlements till date.

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