ATTACKS IN NORTH THREATEN AFCON QUALIFIER

The Super Eagles were expected to host the Pharaohs of Egypt in the northern city next March but the current security situation could cause a change to that decision

In the space of two weeks after the Nigerian government issued an order dismantling military check points across the country, more than two hundred lives have been lost to bomb attacks by members of the notorious Boko Haram jihadist group.

These attacks have all happened in the north of the country with major cities Maiduguri, Kano, Jos and Zaria being hit.


On Tuesday, a bomb attack in Zaria left at least 25 people dead.
Zaria is about 78km from Kaduna, venue of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match between Nigeria and Egypt.

Security came into the news last month when Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama voiced concerns about the safety of players and fans ahead of the opening qualifier against Chad in Kaduna, a city that had been attacked in the past.

However, the Nigeria Football Federation insisted that the city was safe and that everything would be made to secure players and fans at the stadium.

That game ended without an incident except for a few unruly fans who invaded the pitch during goal celebrations as Nigeria won 2-0.

Afterwards, the NFF queried Enyeama and asked the goalkeeper to appear before a disciplinary committee hearing for the “uncomplimentary remarks with regards to safety and security” he made.
In a later release, the NFF refused to address the security concerns, insisting that the Super Eagles would take on the Pharaohs in Kaduna on March 23, 2016, after their next game away to Tanzania in September.

However, with the recent return of violence to the North during the holy month of Ramadan, a lot of questions are being asked of the NFF.

It seems that the organization is yet to have a discussion about the possibility of shifting the game to a safer part of the country as Goal tried to reach officials on Tuesday afternoon.

“No, no, no I will not talk on that one, I will not talk on that one,” said NFF general secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, before hanging up the line when Goal called him for the federation’s decision.
A text message to NFF president Amaju Pinnick did not get a response by the time of publishing this report.

Neither did NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire pick the calls made to his mobile phone.
It is not yet known what the response of the Egyptian team as well as the Confederation of African Football would be to these recent attacks.

However, officials would feel there is still a long time away from making the final decision.