EDITORIAL: Uttermost Disrespect

THE entire sports set up in Nigeria should show greater circumspection and care. It is disgraceful that hours after a national tragedy involving loss of lives, we played the World Cup qualifier against Ghana at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, on Tuesday evening, without a remorseful mood and appearance. 

The Super Eagles players were expected to wear black armbands to mourn those who lost their lives to the two different attacks on Abuja-Kaduna Train by terrorists on Monday and Tuesday. 

That our players did not wear black armbands in addition to not observing a minute of silence in honour of those who had lost their lives to the attack speaks volume Nigeria’s presence of mind. It is disdainful and morally insensitive to the feelings of the country and the families of the victims of the attacks. 

It is also disgraceful that citizen of a country where families of deceased of terrorists’ attacks were still grieving could engaged in a reprehensible destruction of national stadium because the Super Eagles team did not win the match. The conduct of the criminal elements is barbaric and condemnable. 

We condole with the family of an official of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Joseph Kabungo, who died during the stampede that followed the World Cup qualifier match. 

The disgraceful event must never happen again and everyone involved should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.