The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kwara State Chapter, has condemned in strong terms the attack on its former Chairmen, Jimoh Bashir, Waheed Bibire; CAF accredited photojournalists, Abdul Momoh and Adeyemi Oluwafemi, and a member, Victor Michael by the players of Police Machine FC on Saturday, 11th November, 2023.
The members were assaulted at the Kwara State Stadium, Ilorin, after the final of the Emir’s Football Cup competition between Police Machine and Musty FC.
It took the combined efforts of other members of Kwara SWAN, onlookers as well as other members of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) of the Emir’s Football Cup Competition to rescue the assaulted members from the hands of the Police Machine FC players.
The Chairman and Secretary of Kwara SWAN, Ayodeji Ismail and Dare Kuti while reacting to the ugly incident, condemned the attack, insisting that journalists are professionals carrying out their duties as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
They demanded an apology from the entire Nigeria Police Force for the attacks on sports journalists.
“Our observation (video clip available) revealed that five journalists, Jimoh Bashir, Waheed Bibire, Abdul Momoh, Adeyemi Oluwafemi and Victor Michael were assaulted after the Police Machine FC and Musty FC final.
“We are demanding a public apology to our members and the Association by the Nigeria Police Force (Kwara State) within 24 hours or else the Association will have no option than to allow our members to do their professional job on the assaults”, it added.
