The National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers (NANPF) has petitioned the Senate, Minister of Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung as well as the Chief of Defence Staff over the death of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) defender, Izu Joseph.
Izu, was reportedly shot dead last month in Okarki, Rivers State while holidaying in his country home and NANPF wants the unwarranted killing probed by the authorities.
In a statement by NANPF’s general secretary, Comrade Austin Popo, it also urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria to unravel the circumstances leading to the death of the former Bayelsa United player.
“NANPF can authoritatively confirm that the union has written to the Chief of defence staff, the Minister of Sports, Senate and House (of Representatives) committees on Sports, the Nigeria Football Federation and the Trade Union Congress demanding an independent inquiry into the unwarranted killing of one of its members, the late Izu Joseph who was until his death on Sunday, October 16, a professional player with Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan,” read the statement.
NANPF recalled that Izu was shot twice by the uniformed men on October 16, 2016 in his village, Okarki in Rivers State and his body thrown into the river during a raid by the military task force who claimed the player was a cultist.
The President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigamaa has assured the Nigeria players Union, one of its affiliates that the TUC will task the military and all necessary sports and government agencies to get to roots of the avoidable and unwarranted killing of the late player and ensure justice is done
NANPF has equally put its members on notice, especially the current professional league players through their chairman, the first vice president of the union, comrade Austin Festus who is the captain of Rivers United FC demanding their solidarity to get justice for the late footballer, who is survived by a wife and a daughter.
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