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Izu
Joseph played for Shooting Stars of Ibadan before his death. Photo:
Twitter/Oluwashina Okeleji
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Nigeria Premier League
defender Izu Joseph has been shot dead in his hometown of Okaki, it was reported on Monday.
Media
report continues:
The
player’s father said Joseph was killed accidentally by troops battling Niger Delta militants on Sunday.
Initial
reports said Joseph was killed at a restricted area by soldiers on a raid, with
his identity as a footballer only established after he had been shot.
The
powerful central defender joined Shooting Stars from Bayelsa United when the
Ibadan club were still in the second-tier Nigeria National League.
He
was man of the match at champions Rangers when Shooting Stars drew 1-1 this
past season.
The
Sports Writers Association (SWAN) commented: “It is indeed a great loss not
only to 3SC, but also to the football fraternity in Nigeria.”
It
urged government to beef up security across the country to prevent a
“recurrence of the avoidable incident that claimed the life of our valuable
footballer, Izu Joseph.”
Nigerian
troops are deployed to the Niger Delta where militants have been attacking oil
facilities since the start of the year, cutting output and hammering government
revenue at a time of low crude prices.
NFF Mourns With
Family Of Slain Izu Joseph
Today
News reports that the Nigeria Football Federation has commiserated with the
family of Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan defender, Izu Joseph, who was
killed on Sunday, reportedly by a stray bullet from a member of the Joint Task
Force.
NFF
President, Amaju Pinnick, was much grieved when he learnt of the incident, and
immediately put a telephone call through to the father of the late footballer,
who agonizingly narrated the tragic circumstances in which the young Joseph was
killed.
Pinnick
said afterwards: “I am sorely distraught with what has happened. It is a most
unfortunate incident that has brought sorrow to the Nigeria football family,
barely a week after we were celebrating victory in a World Cup qualifying
match.
“What
has happened is most painful. I want to appeal to our football players to
always be mindful of the company they keep and the places they go at all times,
because they are special assets. At the end of the day, each and everyone of us
will die, but we don’t want to be losing football players in the manner in
which Izu Joseph has died.”
The
NFF boss prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Izu Joseph, while also
praying that God will give the family he has left behind, the Shooting Stars
Sports Club and the Nigeria football family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Izu Joseph, a regular with Shooting Stars Sports Club in the just –ended Nigeria Professional Football League season, and who helped the Oluyole Warriors retain Premiership status, was shot dead in his home –town, Okaki in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday.
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