Kaduna United Fans Attack Journalist In Asaba

Posted on November 23, 2018

Match Commissioner Francis Achi (middle) officiating in the NNL game between Kada City and Kaduna United

Francis Achi, a Nigerian journalist popularly known as Totori Master was attacked by some fans of Kaduna United in Asaba, Delta State on Wednesday.

Mr. Achi was the Match Commissioner assigned by the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF), to officiate the Nigeria National League (NNL) game between Kada City and Kaduna United few weeks ago, a closed door game that was distrupted by Kaduna United fans in the 88th minutes when the game was 1-0 in favour of Kada City

Kaduna United fans disobeyed the closed door order of the game as directed by the NNL. It turned violent on the pitch, but the intervention of the security officials ensured that lives were not lost in the fracas.

The Match Officials were safely escorted out of the stadium by the security officials.

Unfortunately, some of the aggrieved fans of Kaduna United on sighting Mr. Achi a day after the Super Eagles played the Cranes of Uganda in Asaba, while he was about to board NFF bus going back to Abuja confronted him that he did not favour their club, but Kada City and during the process they threatened to deal with him. Two of the fans broke loose and attacked him. He recognised one of his attackers as Jamilu Muhammad. Ahmed Mohammed, another fan of Kaduna United was at the scene of the incident, but he did not take part in the attack.

PM EXPRESS reports that Coach Adamu Ejo of the Super Sand Eagles and others in the bus were those that prevented further exclate of the attack on the journalist.

Mr. Achi, a seasoned journalist is also a Match Commissioner in the Nigeria National League under the Nigeria Football Federation. The official assignment he went for in Kaduna state between Kada City and Kaduna United was under the jurisdiction of the NFF.

“It is therefore expected that NFF and the appropriate authorities should not take this attack on the journalist lightly as it shows that his (Achi) life is under a threat from Kaduna United fans and he is not safe in the country, ” said one of the football fans who witnessed the incident.