Distinguished Senator Ofeanyi Ubah
By Raphael Ekpang
Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has raised the alarm over the state of insecurity on Nigerian roads.
In a press release made available to journalists on Friday, the Anambra lawmaker narrated how players and officials of the Nnewi based FC Ifeanyi Ubah were attacked by armed robbers dressed in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniform at Kabba Junction along Okene-Lokoja Highway in Kogi state on Friday with the driver of their bus, coaching crew and some players sustaining gunshot wounds.
The team was on their way to Kano for their match day-6 fixture against Jigawa Gonden stars football club when they ran into the band of armed robbers who opened fire on their bus.
“This is to inform the general public that at about 1:30pm today, players of FC Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra Warriors) who were travelling to Kano for their scheduled NPFL match day 6 fixture against Jigawa Golden Stars ran into a group of armed robbers dressed in NYSC uniforms, operating at Kabba junction, near Lokoja in Kogi state.
“To the glory of God, no life was lost. However, the driver was shot while some members of the coaching crew and players were critically injured. The affected persons are currently being treated and are responding to treatment,” the lawmaker stated.
Decrying the scary experiences of road travelers in Nigeria, Senator Ubah urged the federal government and relevant sport authorities to intensify efforts in securing Nigerian local football teams who often travel by road for their games in far-flung places across Nigeria as a way of encouraging investment confidence in the local league.
“We wish to use this medium to appeal to the Federal Government as well as football regulatory bodies; Nigerian Football Federation(NFF) and the League Management Company (LMC) to further intensify security efforts to ensure the safety of teams who often have no choice than to travel long distances by road, especially clubs owned by Private investors who are made to invest their hard earned money in the growth and development of Nigerian football,” he said.