Former African champions, Enyimba of Aba, yesterday, explained that the departure of 22 players from the club is part of the efforts to reposition the team for the battle for the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) this season.
 
The club officially announced the exit of 22 players from their squad, including Super Eagles B goalkeeper Ozoemena Ani, who has joined Rivers United.
 
The team said that they have recruited 12 new players to fill the void created by the exit, adding that the aim is to ensure that productive players have enough room to fight in both the NPFL and the President’s Federation Cup.
 
Enyimba’s Media Officer, Samson Orji, told The Guardian, yesterday that the team embarked on a massive restructuring to reclaim their position in African football.
 
Part of the restructuring, he said, is an audit of the playing staff to identify productive players and those no longer required by the club.   After the exercise, he said, the team announced the names of 22 departing players and three loaned to other teams. The departed players are Imo Prince Ikemdinachi, Musa Usman Babalolo, Innocent Gabriel, Nelson Michael, Alade Muyiwa Balogun, Nnachi Chidiebere, Chisom Ejio, Junior Lokosa, Fatai Abdullahi, Imo Obot Udo, Umeh Gozie, Olufemi Opeoluwa and Somiari Orinate Alalibo.
 
Others are Chidera Eze, Ukadike Chiemerie Divine, Augustine Onyemaechi, Gideon Peter, Tobias Orkuma, Leonard Obinna, Brown Ideye, Ani Ozoemena and Elijah Akanni.
 
The players on loan are Obichere Wisdom Odinaka, Purpose Ahubaraezemma and Samuel Buah Nuako. Orji said: “Some of the players were included in the list for record purposes because they had already left the team even before the end of last season. In this category are Somiari and Augustine Amaechi.

“There are also some that we engaged mid-season, but could not register for the league. These are the players we mutually agreed on their exit.”
 He disclosed that Enyimba have signed 12 new players, who will be unveiled before the team travels to Barau this week.
 
“We would have unveiled the new players before now, but because we have not finalised their registration, we elected to do that when the papers are finally sealed.”
 
Orji admitted that the departure of Super Eagles’ Goalkeeper, Ozoemena Ani, came as a surprise to the team because he was in Coach Stanley Eguma’s plans for the new season.
 
“Ozoemena’s contract has expired, and we were hoping to give him a new deal. But instead of returning from the Eagles’ camp to us, he chose to “find” new challenges in Rivers United. He did that probably because they will play in the Champions League.
  
“But in all honesty, we thought he would leave for a foreign club from Enyimba. Atule went to the same camp and returned to us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Enyimba’s Head Coach, Stanley Eguma, has reiterated his intention to battle for the NPFL title this season or at least get a CAF Champions League ticket.
 
Enyimba will travel to Barau FC for their 2025/26 NPFL opening game this weekend and host Niger Tornadoes and Nasarawa United in their second and third matches of the season next week.
 
Speaking on the team’s ambitions this season, Eguma, who joined Enyimba mid-last season, and led the team to a modest sixth position in the NPFL, said: “Enyimba as a team have a target, and as a coach, an ambitious one at that, I equally have a target. My target should be to win the league or pick a continental ticket, at worst.”