Lobi Stars Football Club (FC) of Makurdi signed two new players as part of efforts to strengthen the team ahead of second round of the Nigeria National League season.
Signed on Wednesday in Makurdi, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the players are: Egigogo Bello, formerly of Niger Tornadoes, and Jonathan Abu.
Abu said during the signing that he would provide strong support for the attackers to improve the club’s goal output.
Bello also assured that he would contribute his experience and commitment to helping the team to achieve its set targets for the season.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the club, Terver Ikya, disclosed that the club would add four more players to the squad to bolster its chances of returning to the premiership.
He explained that he took over the management of the team when preparations for the season were completed, noting that “just 10 days to the commencement of the league.”
Ikya said that the team already had a coach at the time, and the management team decided not to change but strengthen the technical crew by adding more coaches.
According to him, the team is not initially primed for success and faced difficulties, especially during away matches, citing Nasarawa as a particularly hostile venue.
He said that Gov. Hyacinth Alia had directed that Lobi Stars play the second round of the season in Makurdi, as work was ongoing at the Mc-Carthy Stadium.
Ikya said that the club had been enjoying great support from the governor, and had intervened in a registration ban that initially threatened the team’s participation before the issue was resolved.
The chairman added that the coaching crew comprised former Lobi Stars players who understood the club’s tradition and expectations.
He confirmed that all players had been paid their allowances, stressing, however, that the club was not discarding the entire team but only reinforcing areas with noticeable loopholes.
“The newly signed players are on one-year contract and are expected to make significant impact in the coming season”, he added.
