The Nation Newspaper

Tag: crowd

  • CROWD VIOLENCE LMC sanctions Wikki Tourists

    • Fines Bauchi side N2m; to play behind closed doors
    • El Kanemi gets three points, three goals

    The hammer of League Management Company (LMC) has fallen on Wikki Tourists of Bauchi after they were found culpable for the crowd violence that occured during their Week 22 match against El Kanemi Warriors.

    In a statement through its acting head of media, Kasali Obanoyen, the LMC declared a wide range of sanctions on Wikki including awarding their opponents, El-Kanemi, three goals and full points.

    It also directed Wikki to pay a fine of two million naira as well as to settle the medical expenses of the officials who were assaulted during the match.

    The Bauchi side were then ordered to play the remainder of their home league matches at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, under closed doors.

    The statement made available to SportingLife reads: “In consideration of the reports regarding match No 220 – Wikki Tourists vs El-Kanemi Warriors week 22 and in line with article 5.6 (1) of the Regulations guiding the Competition, the LMC hereby takes the following Preliminary Decisions.

    1. The match is awarded to El-Kanemi Warriors, 3 points 3 goals; per article 4.3(1)

    2. Wikki Tourists are fined the sum of Two Million Naira only (N2,000,000); per article 4.3(2)

    3. Wikki Tourists to pay for all the medical expenses of the Referees; per article 5.8(1)

    4. Wikki Tourists to play their remaining home matches of the season in Bauchi under closed doors.

    SportingLife recalls that the league encounter between Wikki and El Kanemi was in its 85th minute when fans of the home team ran into the pitch as soon as Chadian international, Hassan Hussein, scored a goal for the away team.

    The fans assaulted the match officials and some players of El Kanemi who were later assisted to safety by the police.

  • Crowd stops plane from landing

    Crowd stops plane from landing

    Barely a week after his suspension by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko returned yesterday from an overseas trip, but his plane could not land at the Sokoto International Airport.

    There was no technical problem, but a huge crowd of excited supporters stormed the tarmac.

    The governor, who was supposed to land at 4.17pm, could not do so until about 6pm.

    The governor was held in the air for about 20 minutes before Aviation authorities diverted the plane to Kaduna – to avoid stampede.

    But the aircraft, which brought federal lawmakers from the state, who accompanied the governor to Sokoto,succeeded in landing at 4.15pm.

    Although Wamakko was expected to land two minutes later, the tarmac was declared unsafe by aviation management.

    The diversion of the governor’s flight created tension among his supporters and to avoid a breakdown of law and order, the airport management opted to clear the tarmac.

    After clearance, the governor’s plane eventually landed at about 6pm.

    As at 8.30pm, the governor was still battling to wade through the huge crowd lining the routes from the airport to the Government House.

    A PDP source in the state said: “The crowd comprised mostly PDP supporters, who are angry over the suspension of the governor. Initially, there was tension because the anxious supporters thought that the Federal Ministry of Aviation was up to a game like it did to Amaechi and Oshiomhole.

    “But tempers subsided when the governor eventually landed . The crowd was huge.

    “This is a sign that if the PDP National Secretariat messes up, the party may lose the state. How can they suspend a governor for not picking the calls of the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur?”

    The Ministry of Aviation cited a near breakdown of law and order at the Sokoto Airport as the reason why the Donnier 328 aircraft flying the governor from Abuja was diverted to Kaduna.

    In a statement, the Media Assistant to the Minister of Aviation, Mr Joe Obi, explained that the governor’s supporters broke the fence of the airport and were on their way to the tarmac to welcome the governor.

    The statement reads : “ The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), a few hours ago diverted the plane, a Donnier 328 aircraft carrying the Governor of Sokoto State, Alh. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamako to Kaduna airport as a safety and security precautionary measure. The governor was in an Abuja in-bound flight to Sokoto.

    “The safety/security precautionary measure followed the near-breakdown of law and order at the Sokoto airport by an unruly crowd of Wamako supporters who broke the fence and was on its way to the tarmac, apparently to welcome the governor.

    “Effort by security personnel to prevent a breach of the security and movement into the prohibited and restricted areas of the airport was met with stiff resistance from the crowd.

    “Sensing that the security and safety of the governor and other passengers was in real danger, NAMA decided to divert the aircraft to Kaduna airport to restore normalcy at the airport.

    “The governor and other passengers on board have since returned and landed safely at the airport, after the unruly crowd had been successfully restrained from entering the restricted zone.”

  • CBN Junior Tennis: 9-year-old Marylove Edward fascinates crowd

    CBN Junior Tennis: 9-year-old Marylove Edward fascinates crowd

    Nine-year-old Marylove Edwards stole the show at the finals of the CBN Junior Tennis Championship held on Saturday at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. Her outstanding performance followed an equally rare display of tennis talent by Nigeria’s world renown soccer star, Jay Jay Okocha, in a celebrity exhibition challenge against Kanayo kanayo, the 2006 best actor of Nollywood.

    Edwards, barely four feet tall, played some outstanding tennis for her age to beat 12-year-old Bose Are from Ilorin 6-2 in the one set match. At 1-1 the baby in her came to the fore as she held back tears and flung her cap away thinking she was losing grip of the match. Little Edwards, who did not lose a match in the entire round robin series, regained her composure and ran her opponent all over the court to win.

    Her impressive performance attracted instant rewards and pledges.

    The director of Corporate Communications of the CBN, Ugochukwu Okoroafor pledged that the bank will ensure that her talent was fully nurtured while the president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation and NOC president, Engr Sani Ndanusa, assured that the NTF will do all in its power to make her a world-class player.

    Immediate reward came from the president of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Mr Sam Egbuchunam, who gave Edwards a life membership of the prestigious club which hosted Venus and Serena Williams last year. The ITA Junior Circuit panel chose her as the Most Outstanding Player in the girls category and gave her a huge trophy that was almost her height.

    Okocha‘s surprise appearance on the tennis court sent 1000 college students invited to the finals wild with joy as they screamed and cat-whistled to welcome him to the centre court. Okocha was obviously one level ahead of his opponent who also showed flashes of inspired tennis. The soccer maestro won 6-2.

    Other winners on the day were Kadijat Salami who retained her ITA Junior Tennis Circuit Girls Open crown by edging out Blessing Dedakpoye, an emerging talent from Benin 9-8. Christopher Itodo from the Co Foundation Kaduna beat Saheed Oyekan from Abeokuta 9-6 to win the Boys 14 title after five years of trying in different age groups on the ITA Junior Tennis Circuit tour.

    James Imeh from Lagos beat team mate Emmanuel Idoko 9-3 to win the Boys Futures. Olumide Ayoola also from Lagos beat club mate Seun Olatunji 9-5 to win the Boys 16 while Fortune Uche from Owerri beat Gabriel Friday from Kaduna 9-5 to win the boys 12 and under age group.

    The tournament organized by the International Tennis Academy is part of the Academy’s flagship – ITA Junior Tennis Circuit – which is credited with providing a platform for developing junior talent in Nigeria.

  • Dignitaries, huge crowd at burial

    Dignitaries, huge crowd at burial

    The body of the late Dr. Olusola Saraki arrived at the Ilorin International Airport in an Overland aircraft by 4.30pm. yesterday.

    At the eid praying ground, Chief Imam Akeem Muhammed led the prayer, which lasted for about 10 minutes. It began at about 5.05pm. The eid arena was heavily crowded. Many supporters struggled to catch a glimpse of the body. It took several minutes before it could be brought out of the ambulance.

    The Saraki family, led by the Matriarch, Madam Florence Saraki, Senators Bukola Saraki, Gbemisola Saraki as well as Olaolu Saraki arrived in a Rivers State aircraft.

    The body was taken after prayers to his Ilofa home at about 6.05 pm and lowered into the grave at about 6.20pm.

    Dignitaries at the burial included House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, National Planning Minister, Shamsudeen Usman who led the Federal Government delegation, Internal Affairs Minister, Comrade Abba Moro, Senator Andy Uba, Senator Danjuma Goje, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, business mogul Aliko Dangote and Former Governor Niyi Adebayo.

    Others include former acting National chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, and his predecessor in office, Alhaji Bello Mohammed, Chief Jim Nwobodo and Dr. Wale Babalkin.

    There were also Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdulahi, MD of GTB Segun Agbaje and Alhaji Kola Abiola. All federal and state legislators from Kwara State were also present.