Lucky Obukohwo, ReportingÂ
The Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has directed that security escort be attached to the Sunshine Stars team when they leave Benin City for Akure.
The Governor gave the directive yesterday following the need to give the team maximum security protection to forestall any eventuality.
The chairman, Edo state Sports Commission Olympian Yusuf Alli disclosed this yesterday. The Sports Commission boss said that the Chief of Staff to the Governor Hon Osaigbovo Iyoha informed him about
the governor’s directive when the Chairman of Sunshine Stars Tunde Ogunja visited to express the team’s appreciation to the Governor.
“The Chief of Staff told me that our Governor has directed that further assistance be given to the team with security escort to follow them back home in addition to offsetting their medical bills he earlier promised. The security arrangement is being done by Hon Osagbovo Iyoha as we speak” Alli said.
Recall that players and officials of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure were attacked by unknown gunmen last Thursday at about 5:15 PM on the Lagos-Ore-Benin Highway on their way to Benin City for NPFL match day 13 engagement with Bendel Insurance FC.
The suspected armed robbery gang opened fire on their official bus with the Curator shot in his stomach while some other officials sustained varied degrees of injuries.
This prompted the Edo state Governor Mr Godwin Obaseki to play his fatherly role of paying the visitors’ medical bills and providing them with security Escort to take them back to Akure.
The horrible incident forced the rescheduling of the Bendel Insurance, Sunshine Stars game from Saturday to Sunday which the Owena Waves lost gallantly by a lone goal yesterday evening at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin.