Determined to bounce back into reckoning and take its place among the elite clubs in Nigeria, Abia Warriors Football Club has strengthened the team with the signing of four additional players.
The players include Chinenye Agoha, Chima Ndukwu, James Nicholas and returnee, Binaebi Johnson.Johnson, who featured for Abia Warriors last season, had failed in his bid to seek for greener pastures and had to return to Umuahia to rejoin his colleagues.
For Agoha, he was one of the players of Giwa Fc of Jos who were freed by the League Management Company to play for a club of their choice until the end of the season after the club was expelled from the league for failing to honour three games within the season.
The Umuahia born striker, who once featured for Zoric FC of Brutan, says he is happy to be back home.
Chima Ndukwu, a combatant midfielder joined Abia Warriors after his adventure with Jomo Cosmos of South Africa. The Owerri, Imo State born player had featured for JUTH of Jos before he travelled to South Africa.
James Nicholas was discovered at the recently concluded Nigeria Police Games in Abuja where he emerged as the top scorer.
The cross Riverian had previously played for Enugu Rangers International and Crime Bursters FC of Enugu before Abia Warriors grabbed him following his exploits in Abuja.
In his reaction, Kennedy Boboye, the Manager of Abia Warriors expressed hope that the new additions will improve the team’s performance as they have been tested and found worthy, having all played the game at the highest level.
Meanwhile, Warriors Manager, Kennedy Boboye has apologized to the club’s supporters worldwide over the team’s scandalous 5-0 loss to Kano Pillars in a week 24 Nigeria Professional Football League match at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.
Boboye, who expressed regrets at the result, told the Abia Warriors Supporters club members led by their chairman, Uche Mbanaso alias Kotiko, that the outcome of the game in Kano, was a surprise to the technical crew and the players themselves.
While taking full responsibility for the bashing, the erstwhile Sunshine Stars of Akure tactician described the Kano debacle as one of the worst days of his career but assured that better days lay ahead.
“I know how you (Supporters of the Club) feel about the result. It was a very shameful outing in Kano, and uptil now, we cannot explain what hit us. But on behalf of the technical crew and the players, I want to apologise to you for crashing your expectations and I reassure you that we will get it right in our subsequent matches”, Boboye told the supporters.
He expressed happiness that some of his first team players, who were down with injury, and missed the match in Kano have recovered and doing well in training.
Responding, Mr. Mbanaso told the coach that the supporters were disappointed at the outcome of the match in Kano, insisting that they needed some explanations of what transpired there.
He said they can only be assuaged if the boys could rise to the occasion and win their next three games in order to bounce back into reckoning.
Abia Warriors had a make-shift defence line in Kano as all the Central defenders were either injured or suspended.
National U-23 star, Amaefule Chizoba, Ozor Chinedu and Kabiru Ayinde, all defenders could not make the trip to Kano due to injury while Emmanuel Olowo, was suspended for the game. His central defence partner and team captain, Austin Obaroakpo played with injury.
The team’s top marksmen, Chisom Chikatara and Michael Olaha were not also in Kano having travelled abroad to finalise arrangements to join their new clubs while Ndifreke Effiong with six goals to his credit this season for Abia Warriors has been with the National U-23 team preparing for the Rio Olympic games in Brazil.
