The family of the late Ex-defender of the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), Ibadan, Izu Joseph has petitioned the Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State over 8-month salary and 21 match bonuses owed the deceased by the club.
This is coming as the father of the ex-slain Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), Ibadan, Joseph Izu, Reuben Izu Martin refuted a claim by the club that it has paid six months’ salary arrears of the deceased into his account.
Late Izu, who hails from Rivers State, was holidaying in Bayelsa State when he was allegedly killed by men of the Nigerian Army after he was alleged to have been found with cultists. The Army, it was learnt, had marked the area ‘red’.
READ ALSO: Former governor of Oyo, Ajimobi is dead at 70
The family of the deceased in a letter, signed by Reuben Izu Jnr, urged the state government to assist the family in meeting its financial needs.
Izu Jnr noted that the new letter which was addressed to the governor was as a result of the failure of the first letter sent to the governor, a copy of which was also addressed to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly which did not materialise.
According to him, the family wrote the letter concerning the poor handling of the death of Izu Joseph by the 3SC management, we have written a letter earlier sent to the governor, that of the governor was received by the CSO to the Governor on 12th September 2017 and a copy was sent to the Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly on the same 12th, it was received by Obayemi in the office of the speaker.
“We wrote this second letter due to the poor handling of the death by the 3SC management, the 8 months salary and 21 months match bonuses owed him by the management.
READ ALSO: Former Gov of Oyo, Ajimobi to be buried on Sunday
Meanwhile, Reuben Izu Martin, in a statement, noted that “The management of Shooting Stars Football Club has paid the sum of N142,400 twice into my account and not six months as being claimed by the club”.
Responding to a claim by 3SC management that it has paid the family for six months, he noted that the need to put the record straight became necessary because it is the custom of the club to find a cosmetic solution to their request immediately after a public outcry like this.
He said: “I, Mr Reuben Izu Martin father to the late Izu Joseph, wish to let the public know that the management of Shooting Stars Football Club has paid the sum of N142,400 twice into my account and not six months as being claimed by the club.
“This is the 2nd time they are doing it and it appears it is done immediately after a public outcry as regards the way they have treated my son, Joseph Izu’s finance since his death.
“I called Balogun the GM to explain that amount paid when he is being owed in millions, and Balogun sent a text that the money is made up of salaries, bonuses and others and promised to send the breakdown when he gets to Ibadan as he is taking care of his sick son, and up till now no information from him.”
He said that the family is not begging for money but is requesting for the money their departed son worked for before he was killed.
“We are not begging Shooting Stars for any kind of money, but for what my son worked for before he was killed,” he said.
He said what the family wants is nothing but justice from the soldiers who killed their son and from the 3SC management.
READ ALSO: Shooting Stars club matches now to go Live on TV, Radio
“At this point, the family wants justice for Izu from the soldiers who killed him as well as Shooting Stars to pay his dues.”
Reuben Izu while making further clarification enjoined the 3SC management to stop blackmailing the family especially, a brother to the deceased, Reuben Izu Jnr simply because he was fighting for his late brother.
“I need to know why Shooting Stars is blackmailing my son simply because he is fighting for his late brother. My son, Reuben Izu Jnr. has never wanted his late brother’s money to be paid to him, he is mandated by me on behalf of the family to ensure that 3SC pays salaries owed my son.
“I call on the Oyo State government to investigate the club management as they have clearly shown unprofessionalism in handling my son, Izu’s, finance.
“I don’t know why it’s so difficult for 3SC to furnish the family with details of debt profile to late IZU Joseph.
“Instead of paying an amount without any narrative. I spoke with the COO of the LMC on this issue last week in Jos during the AGA of NFF. Responding to his question on the exact amount of late IZU Joseph salary, I told him that from the records we have in his contract with the LMC, is about 400, 000 monthly.
“He told me that the issue is that in most cases the amount in the contract with the LMC is different from the one they signed with the Clubs. The Union has also written to the LMC to compel 3SC to furnish them with details of the actual amount owed IZU in terms of outstanding salaries and match allowances.
“The club is yet to respond. The LMC has equally assured that monies due 3SC will not be paid to them until this issue and others are sorted out,” he explained.
Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan
