Shooting Stars energetic defender Izu Joseph has been shot
dead by soldiers in his hometown Okaki in Bayelsa State. The player’s father confirmed the death of the player at the
hands of Joint Task Force (JTF), who are locked in a long-drawn face-off with militants
in the restive Niger Delta.
The powerful central defender, who was a great man marker
and good aerially, joined Shooting Stars three years from Bayelsa United when the
Ibadan club were still in the second-tier Nigeria National League (NNL).
He was man of the match at champions Rangers when Shooting
Stars drew 1-1. Initial reports said the player was caught out at a
restricted area by soldiers on a raid.
His identity as a footballer was only established after he
had been shot.
However, The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has commiserated with the
family of Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan defender Izu Joseph, who was
killed on Sunday.
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.”
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