Lagos FA Enlists Soldiers For League Matches

The Lagos State Football Association (FA) is currently using soldiers to provide security at National Professional Division One League matches at the First Bank Training Ground, Satellite Town.

The Lagos FA Chairman, Taiwo Afinnih, said the development became necessary as the State Police Command had stayed away from matches from the venue.

The Police stayed away last Sunday when First Bank defeated visiting Anambra Pillars FC of Onitsha 2-1.

However, no fewer than 50 policemen provided security at the venue when Julius Berger defeated Bendel Insurance of Benin 1-0 on May 22.

But the FA officials said the visiting team could have arranged for the police security on their own.

Afinnih, Lagos FA Chairman, told newsmen after the match that the season would soon end and that there was no need to request for police security.

“We do not want to be involved in talks with the police over security at the match venue as the season will soon come to an end,” Afinnih said.

He said that away teams were occasionally involved in the provision of security for their players and officials.

Tidesports learnt that the police withdrew from the venue after an officer was injured by a soldier’s whip on February 6 in a game between First Bank and Crown FC, Ogbomoso.

The incident occurred while the soldier was trying to protect the referee, Idowu Akinwumi, from a mob attack after the match.

Afinnih attributed the police boycott to an alleged abandonment of the injured officer by the FA.