Dying in the name of football The Nation Latest Nigeria

TRACKING_____THE death of Kazeem Tiyamiyu, a football player with Remo Stars Football Club, is the talk of the town right now.

Kazeem, who was the assistant captain of the club died on Saturday after he was crushed by an incoming vehicle, according to his teammate, Sanni Abubakar, who was with him at the time of arrest.

He had been picked up by members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), who accused him of being an internet fraudster. After identifying himself as a footballer, he was pushed out of the SARS vehicle, upon arguing that they were not moving towards the police station, and he crushed to death by the coming wheel.

His death has sparked up wild protest in Sagamu, Ogun State, with people calling for a complete overhaul of the anti-robbery squad. His family, in a statement signed by by its lawyers, Adegbesan Adenola, Ogunsanmi Abisoye and the family’s spokesman, Ganiyu Tiyamiyu, are also calling on the Ogun State government to bring the culprits of Kazeem’s murder to book.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu is however interested in the case, and have ordered the Deputy Inspector General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, FCID, DIG Anthony Ogbizi, to take over investigations on the matter. The governor of Ogun State has also assured that the incident would not be swept under the carpet, and called on everyone to be calm during the investigation, stressing that anyone found culpable would be brought to book.

This brings to mind the death of one Kolade Johnson, who was shot dead on 31st March, 2019 while watching an English Premier League between Liverpool and Tottenham. Members of the anti-cultism squad visited the viewing center in search “a suspect”. The 36-year old father of one was shot by a stray bullet, rushed to the hospital and died while awaiting treatment.

This is the sad commentary of death and football in recent times in Nigeria. There have been various calls for training and retraining of members of the armed forces on how to operate their weapons. It is sad to note that the round leather game, meant to bring joy to the common Nigerian, is now linked to death of youths, who are killed “by mistake”.

There is the need to secure football players and fans, football venues and viewing centres. There is also a need for proper visible identification of football players and fans, to avoid incidents line that of Kazeem and Kolade.

By Adeyinka Akintunde, Lagos.