Heartland FC has been banned from signing new players for the next two transfer periods, until they comply with a ruling by the Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL.

This followed separate complaints of unlawful termination of contract and indebtedness filed by former players of the club, Maduabuchi Okereke and Fatuwanse Segun.

In its ruling communicated to Heartland FC on February 17, 2020, the League Management Company, LMC, noted that the club failed to respond to the claims of the players despite having been invited by the LMC to state its case through a letter dated January 28, 2020.

Heartland was ordered to pay Maduabuchi the sum of ₦7,200,000 representing the remaining two years of his three year contract and another ₦900,000 unpaid arrears of three months consolidated salary stipulated in the contract before it was wrongfully terminated by the club.

Maduabuchi and Fatuwase had in separate petitions to the LMC dated November 5, 2019, bordering on claims of overdue payables, wrongful termination of contract and compensation.

While Maduabuchi laid claims for a total of ₦10, 400,000; Fatuwase asked for a total of ₦6,250,000.

The LMC said the players and the club did execute separate employment contracts (in the form of the NPFL Standard Player Contract), the duration of which was 10th November 2018 to 9th November 2021.

In rejecting the clearance letter, the LMC stated that a “contract or agreement must be signed or executed by each party to the said agreement. The fact that the clearance letter was signed only by the Club through indicates that it cannot be deemed to be an agreement.”

Fatuwanse was awarded ₦4,800,000 representing the remaining two years of his three year contract and another ₦600,000 unpaid arrears of three months consolidated salary as stipulated in the contract before it was wrongfully terminated by the club.

Credits: Adeboju Tobi Samuel (OgaNla)