The Nigerian delegation complained of ill treatment at the hands of the Ethiopians
Ethiopian fans, angered by Sunday’s World Cup qualifiers 2-1 loss to Nigeria in Addis Ababa, took to sporadic moments of lawlessness, pelting the luxury bus that conveyed the Super Eagles as they prepared to travel back home.
One Nigerian player, Nosa Igiebor, was injured. The Nigerian Football Federation said the matter had been reported to FIFA and Ethiopian police.
The Nigerian delegation, led by NFF President, Aminu Maigari, returned to Nigeria early Monday at about 4:30am, with tales of ill-treatment from the Ethiopian fans.
The team had earlier alleged that they were assigned a bus infested with cockroaches. They also accused their Ethiopian police escort team of deliberately taking traffic-jammed routes to their training ground.
On match day, the players and their fans were pelted with soft drink bottles, when the Ethiopians thought that they had scored an opener in the first half. Television replays later showed that Godfrey Oboabona had cleared the ball off the line.
As the team returned to its Saro Maria hotel after the game, some fans along the route hauled stones at the team’s bus. A rock shattered the rear windscreen of the bus, sending the passengers scampering for safety.
Real Betis star, Nosa Igiebor, was however unlucky as he was injured by the projectile. A team doctor immediately attended to the player.
NFF Vice President, Chief Mike Umeh, said the matter has been reported to the FIFA Security team at the match venue and he hoped action will be taken.
The Ethiopian Police were also intimated with the ordeal of the Nigerian delegation by Eagles CSO, Baba Abubakar, even as the NFF has promised that it will give the Ethiopians the best of hospitality when they come to Nigeria in November for the return leg.
No comments:
Post a Comment