Fracas As Students Invade Pitch At Nurses’ Games

It was free for all at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Friday when students of Our Lady of Lourdies School of Nursing, Ihiala. Anambra, invaded the pitch to interrupt a football match.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match was the first semi-final of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Zone III Schools of Nursing and Midwifery Games men’s football event.

The students, who were protesting the 2-1 lead by UNTH, Enugu, accused their opponents of fielding mercenaries rather than students.

Attempts by officials to stop the invasion proved abortive as the combatant students took on anyone who came their way.

The intervention of the NSC Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Dans Adokiye, did not help matters as the students also pushed him around.

The match was already in the 75th minute when the students invaded the pitch.

Mr. Chidi Offor-Okenuwa, the Chairman of Enugu Football Association, described the fracas as unfortunate, saying the officials of the Ihiala school did not help matters.

Offor-Okenuwa said there were approved channels to protest the use of mercenaries, adding that the player in question had played for the team earlier without any protest.

He said that UNTH stood qualified for the final of the men’s competition, having convincingly defeated their opponents.