Heartland accountant, supporters on war path over N2.5m allegedly lost to hoodlums

From Everest Ezihe, Owerri

The claim last Sunday by Mr.James Uzoigwe, the Accountant of Heartland Football Club, Owerri that hoodlums on motor bike attacked him, inside Dan Anyiam Stadium Complex,Owerri and snatched over 2.5m Naira meant for the execution of the club’s match day 8 of Nigeria National League, NNL on that day with Cynosure FC of Abakiliki have been described as untrue by some members of the darlyn team Supporters Club just as some fans of the club insisted that it’s a deliberate sabotage to shatter the club’s winning spree.

Uzoigwe who hails from Okigwe LGA of Imo State and joined the club barely a year ago rattled the team, management, fans, supporters and spectators of the club when news filtered in the stadium, few hours to the commencement of the crucial match that he was attacked by 2 men on a motorcycle inside the Stadium complex as they subdued him and snatched the black polythene bag containing the football match money, before he could recover himself they speeded off through the main gate and espcaded unchallenged..

However, Messrs Osita Ikem, Jude Opara and Chukwudi Eze, staunched supporters of the club told Sports Journalists that Uzoigwe who’s currently under detention and interrogation at the State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID) of Imo Police Command is economical with the truth, similarly Messrs Ndudim Okoro and Basil Njoku who are fans of the club accused the Accountant of “deliberate sabotage”.

According to the supporters ” it’s an obvious truth that the Accountant is not saying the truth. He is simply economical with the truth. How can he be attacked inside the stadium complex without people coming to his aid considering how busy the stadium always be, especially on a match day ?. How did they know that he was holding money ? We learnt he went to the bank and collected the money alone as against the management directive that he will go with a specified member of the management and even went earlier before the agreed time. Infact, there are lots of questions he needs to answer. Our demand is that the police should interrogate him seriously so as to unravel the truth” they insisted.

While the fans were of the opinion that, ” the action of the Accountant is a deliberate act of sabotage, aimed at demoralizing and frustrating the team from their mission and vision of returning back to premiership by next football season.The Accountant story is like tales for the moonlight. We’re optimistically certain, that he’s been sponsored to sabotage the club and the police must do thorough investigations, the saving grace is that Heartland afterall won the crucial encounter” they noted.

The news almost shattered the team if not the swift and strategic actions taken by Hon. Emeka Okoronkwo, the Imo State Commissioner for Sports, Youth and Social Development and Mr. Promise Nwachukwu, the General Manager of the Club that boosted the team moral and reassured all concerned.

They quickly raised money and handled some of the exigencies that became a tonic to the spirit of the home team as they won Cynosure FC,1-0. The winning restored happiness and confidence of the supporters, fans and spectators to the club.