Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Saturday in Benin called the recent attack on Bendel Insurance Football Club players and officials barbaric.
Insurance players and officials were reportedly attacked by Remo Stars Football Club fans and officials from Sagamu during a 2020/2021 Nigeria National League (NNL) game in Ikenne.
Obaseki, shortly after visiting the five players and five team officials who were hospitalized after the attack on them, said the attack was barbaric and not in the spirit of sportsmanship.
“You can’t in a game maim other players like that. I am shocked and disappointed, more than a week after the Ikenne incident in Ogun.
“The managers in the league haven’t come to spell out the proper penalties for this type of horrible behavior on the other side.
“As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think we can continue with the league until the Nigerian Football Association (NFF) brings out those who have injured our players.
“More importantly, they also have to be interested in treating our players.
“And we want to see that the right thing is done with the league, this is the third time Bendel Insurance players have come under attack because of the league.
“It’s not war, it’s supposed to be a football game. We need to take legal action. The captain of our team was missing for more than 24 hours, he was kidnapped, ”said the governor.
Obaseki further said that Bendel Insurance will suspend its participation in the league until the NFF takes appropriate action.
The Nigeria News Agency (NAN) reports that home-playing Remo Stars FC allegedly allowed their supporters to beat two players from Bendel Insurance and team secretary Charles Ihimekpan.
Other players in the team reportedly escaped the stadium by jumping over the fence.
The attack occurred during a match on Matchday 21 of NNL 2020/2021 Group B2.
NAN
