Nigeria Professional Football League [NPFL] side, Nasarawa United, have been battling with a court suit instituted by one of their ex-player, Onyebuchi Maurice in the past three months over non-payment of entitlements of N6.1 million.

The case was instituted by Maurice in November 2014 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Jos the Plateau State Capital.

Nigeria Professional Football League [NPFL] side, Nasarawa United, have been battling with a court suit instituted by one of their ex-player, Onyebuchi Maurice in the past three months over non-payment of entitlements of N6.1 million.

The case was instituted by Maurice in November 2014 at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Jos the Plateau State Capital.

Counsel to Maurice, John Ogieva told journalists that, Nasarawa United are challenging the power of the Industrial Court in Jos to hear the case claiming that its counterpart in Lafia has the power to do so since the matter happened in Lafia.

Nasarawa United are also challenging the claimant, Maurice’s move to institute the case at an Industrial Court rather than exploring the arbitration of the Nigeria Football Federation [NFF], which makes provision for his reliefs being sought from the court.

Ogieva, has already filed its defence at same court insisting that the Industrial Court should go ahead and hear the suit since it is the only one of such judicial divisions located within the territory since Lafia does not have such courts.

Maurice in his claim to the court stated that he was an employee of Nasarawa United for three football league seasons of 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11.

The player, who was in the books of Plateau United last term, wants the court to grant his reliefs “against the defendants jointly and severally to the sum of N6.1 million only being the signing-on fees not paid to/owing the claimant by the defendants for the three seasons i.e 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 the claimant played for the first defendant Ogieva stressed.

The other prayer by Maurice is “the defendant may pay N6.1 million only with cost to the claimant or the claimant’s legal practitioner within the time allowed for appearance and that upon such payment the proceedings shall terminate”.

“We had written to the court of arbitration, but we have not got any reply”. He lamented.

Ogieva said if they management of Nasarawa United are willing to resolve the matter out of court, they will welcome that.

He added that if the matter is not resolve amicably, his client will have no option than to continue with the case in court.

However, Justice Rabi Gwandu of the Industrial Court in Jos, Wednesday, called on the two counsels representing both parties in the matter to try and resolve to settlement out of court.

She has adjourned the matter to 6th, May, 2015, to listen to their responses

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Former Nasarawa Utd player drags club to court, demands N6.1 million unpaid entitlements