21st May, 2013
Sharks FC have cried out ahead of their Week 14 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, match against El Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri tomorrow following the state of emergency imposed on the state by the Federal Government.
Soldiers and other security forces are fighting to dislodge the extremist Boko Haram sect that has almost taken over north eastern Nigeria with gun battles ensuing at random spots.
Even with the chaotic nature of the city where a dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed by the military, the League Management Company, LMC, has not deemed it fit to ask El Kanemi to play matches in other safe cities. A distress call early today from Sharks officials has it that the players and officials are not sure of what will happen to them when they arrive the city.
“We know there is a 24-hour curfew in Maiduguri. Telephone lines are not working. And officials of El-Kanemi have told us that when we get to some kilometres before Maiduguri, we should stop there and wait for them to take us into the city,” Sharks media officer Peter Abaje told Goal.
“I don’t know the kind of football we are playing that our lives should now be in danger. We thought the authorities running the League should have taken some measure to make sure that no team is exposed to unnecessary danger,” he said.
Sharks left Bauchi on Tuesday morning on their way to Maiduguri for the tie.