Trouble looms in Ibadan as Shooting Stars SC fans attack Remo Stars

Fans of Shooting Stars SC attacked journalists and Remo Stars after a 1-1 draw at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan.

The violence was reported to have erupted after the press wrapped up with their post-match interviews.

Tobi Adepoju and Atinuke Esan are among the journalist who experienced the violence first hand.

Tobi Adepoju took to Twitter to narrate this unfortunate incident and accused the Shooting Stars management of being part of the orchestrators of the coup. Tobi Adepoju claimed that the General Manager of Shooting Stars, Oladimeji Lawal, was behind the violence.

“He [is] connected to it 100%, the entire 3SC management knew about it. It started from the club backroom staff. 3SC backroom staff started the assault, Dimeji [General Manager] and the Chairman were sitting a few meters away from me,” Tobi Adepoju replied a Twitter user who tried to challenge his claim.

Atinuke Esan also reported that journalists were physically abused and she only dodged a slap because she is a lady. Esan took to Twitter to talk about the event.

She wrote on Twitter, “I’ve heard about it but today it happened to me. I was harassed at Lekan Salami Stadium today alongside [Tobi Adepoju]. He was slapped but I was pushed outside. The saving grace was [that] I am a lady. Shooting Stars management witnessed it happen,

“I stood beside [Tobi Adepoju] as he was slapped. The thing be like dream (sic). He would have slapped me too if not someone that said, ‘leave am na lady’,”

However, Shooting Stars General Manager, Oladimeji Lawal in a statement today, dissociated himself from purposefully allowing thugs to harass Tobi Adepoju and other journalists.

The statement read, “Having sensed that a few irate persons, pretending to be fans of Shooting Stars might take the chance to attack players and officials of Remo Stars as they walked towards their team bus, me, some officials of Oyo FA and a handful of security personnel had to provide security for the visiting team.

“After making sure the Remo Stars contingent had left the stadium, I then met with a few close friends who had come to watch the game. So I was nowhere near where the assault on Adepoju took place.

“However, I want to use this medium to condemn the act in totality. I have never and will never be part of incidents that will bring the domestic league in Nigeria to disrepute or attack any personality in the game.”