Abuja — Nigerian footballers under the auspices of the Nigerian Footballers Union have called on the Federal government of Nigeria to urgently intervene in the case Al-Merreikh player and former Enyimba FC star, Stephen Worgu who was recently charged with alcoholic consumption in Sudan and has been sentenced to 40 lashes of the cane.

Worgu, 20, who plays as a striker for first division club Al-Merreikh of Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city, was found guilty recently of drinking alcohol and driving under the influence.

An East Khartoum court condemned the young footballer to 40 lashes and ordered him to pay a fine of 50 Sudanese pounds (£12) for the alcohol consumption and 200 Sudanese pounds (£48) for driving under the influence.

Worgu, who signed a contract with Al-Merreikh in 2008 and has represented Nigeria at under-20 level, had been apprehended in the Sudanese capital on August 21.

The footballer, who denied the charges brought against him, has since appealed against the judgment through his lawyer.

President of the Footballers Union in Nigeria and former international, Dahiru Sadi, yesterday said after a thorough investigation into the matter, the body is convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that the player did not commit the offence he is alleged to have committed.

He explained that the player had contacted the union for assistance and since the body is convinced that he is not guilty, it has no reservations whatsoever in calling on the government to intervene in his case.

The Union, is therefore calling on the Federal Government through its embassy in Sudan, to find a competent lawyer who would ensure the punishment is not meted on the player.

He said if allowed to be flogged 40 times, the player's career may be terminated prematurely because in the course of flogging him, he may be left with a permanent disability.

"We are calling on the federal government to intervene in the case of Stephen Worgu who has been sentenced to 4o lashes in Sudan. The ministry of foreign affairs and the embassy in Sudan should come to the defence of the innocent player. Our investigation has shown clearly that he is not guilty and that is why we are seeking for government support on his behalf. We are a responsible body and will not encourage any act of irresponsibility," he said.

He added that if government can wade into the cases of Nigerians who are on the death roll in Libya, something urgent should be done to save the career of the young footballer.

"Government owes the player a duty to come to his aid as far as he is innocent. If allowed to be flogged 40 times, you can only imagine what may happen to him. How can we be sure that he will survive even the pains? What about the trauma and the psychological impact?" he asked.

Sadi said the Union it will not fold its arms and watch any of its members exposed to dehumanizing treatment any where in the world just as he said the footballers Union will follow Worgu's case to its logical conclusion.