The Joint Task Force operating in Gombe on Sunday rescued the players, officials and fans of Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi from the grips of Gombe United’s fans that allegedly attacked them after playing a 2-2 draw in a week 15 encounter of the Nigerian Professional Football League.
Pilot Sports learnt that the fans were furious with the 2-2 draw result because they had wanted their team to grab the three points at stake, but their failure to do so prompted the fans to attack their visitors.
Confirming the incident, Lobi Technical Adviser, Dominic Iorfa told Pilot Sports on phone that it was a surprise to him that Gombe United fans could descend so low in a match that ended 2-2 and not an outright winning.
“I thank God for the quick intervention by JTF otherwise, the fans really wanted to harm us. JTF escorted us to Bauchi to be sure we were saved before they turned back. We drew and lost our last two games at home, yet we did not attack our visitors, so why us in Gombe?” Iorfa queried.
Iorfa revealed further that their attackers succeeded in smashing their vehicles’ windscreens, destroyed his camera and a wrist watch before the arrival of the JTF.
Meanwhile, he insisted that only one of his players was hurt at the cause of the attack when they stoned him during the first half break as they were leading in the score line.
However, the Lobi stars’ supremo further said that he was shocked that despite the attack on them from the home fans, no officials from the Gombe State FA came to their rescue except the JTF.
He gave kudos to the Irabor-led LMC for the organisation of the ongoing league season which he said has improved the league a lot except for few issues emanating from fans like the attack on his team, however, he said he believe on the ability of LMC to curb such attacks on subsequent games.
Meanwhile, he called on the management of the league body to wade in to check most of these attacks on away teams so that the league will end successfully.
