Nigerian football is counting the cost of the raging coronavirus pandemic that has forced the postponement of the country’s football leagues as Enyimba midfielder Dayo Ojo and Abia Comets’ Benjamin Diomande have been kidnapped.
While tears are still welling in the eyes of Rangers International players, who are mourning the death of striker Ifeanyi George, who died in a road accident on his way to Lagos from Enugu, the kidnapping of Ojo and Diomande has thrown the football community into a state of fear, agony and panic as players now fear to move on the roads or streets.
Following the stoppage of the leagues as a precautionary measure by the authorities, the kidnapped duo, alongside Emmanuel James, were on the road when they were suddenly attacked by dare-devil kidnappers, who hunted them down. Unluckily for the bad men of the underworld, James was able to escape and later told close friends what had happened.
Disclosing this on his twitter handle, a league writer and photo-journalist, Modo Victor wrote, ”Enyimba FC midfielder Dayo Ojo and Abia Comets FC player Benjamin Diomande kidnapped from reports reaching me. Confirmed by a player that escaped the kidnappers, Emma James”.
Corroborating this, another league writer, Adepoju Samuel said that James has reported the incident to the Nigeria Police Force, charging the security operatives to swing into action to secure the release of these footballers, who but for the suspension of the nation’s football leagues, would have been in action for their respective clubs yesterday. ”Nigeria Police please attend to this case. Emma James has confirmed he has reported the case to the nearest police station”.
