REJOINER: FIVE DAYS DOWN THE LINE: Gombe United Reacts

Opinions have been formed in different quarters about the Gombe United Vs Fabiyi saga that has waged on in the media sphere since the Match Day 19 rescheduled game against Rangers International Fc(see previous post for full analysis). Following scenes of violence(throwing of missiles) and crowd restiveness during the game, fans encroached the field of play at the final whistle, terrorizing home and away teams, and as has been largely spoken of in the media, Fabiyi Emmanuel, the goal keeper for Gombe United was accosted and gravely injured by his own fans.

This ugly incident that has no place in our football(we actually are peace loving people) festered on social media and even mainstream media, with allegations flying that Gombe United did not do enough to make Fabiyi Emmanuel feel protected and a part of the family after the attack, seemingly evident in the lack of an official statement by the club days after the incident.

The official statement released by Gombe United six days after the incident did nothing to make this go away, as holes were picked and seeming weak points exposed in the clubs selected course of action. Particularly annoying was the fact that a member of the coaching crew and an official of the supporters club got slaps on the wrists for the different roles they played in inciting the crowd to action while a member of the incited crowd was handed over to the police for his attack on Fabiyi Emmanuel.

The most mind bogging item on the list however was the revelation that a panel had been set up to look into the allegations of match fixing labeled against the goalie, Fabiyi Emmanuel. Almost simultaneously, a respected member in football circles in Gombe state, Gara Gombe Ahmed Shuaibu, took to social media to make outlandish claims of manipulation and collusion with the away team against the Fabiyi(you really need to read the previous post, you will love his sources).       

Reacting to issues arising from the match venue, Fabiyi Saga, and fictitious statements on social media, Public Relations Officer to Gombe United, Tanimu Umar, said that Gombe United regrets the ugly turn of events that happened during their home game against Rangers International and vowed that the club will do everything in their power to ensure justice is properly served.

Speaking on perceived insensitivity of the Gombe United playing and coaching crew towards Fabiyi's stadium nightmare, Tanimu said that other members of the coaching and playing crew were equally attacked  at the final whistle, with a member of the coaching crew playing an active role in shielding Fabiyi from his attacker.

In explaining away the delay in the release of an official statement on the incident and actions to be taken, Tanimu said that one of the sanctioned individuals was out of town and it would have been improper for him to read about the clubs action against him in the press, hence the  delay. He further stated that the delay was not a reflection that the club did not appreciate the gravity of the incident or the situation their goal keeper had passed through.

When confronted with the questions on the investigative panel set up by Gombe United to look into allegations of match fixing against Fabiyi, Tanimu said that in cases such as this where allegations are made, it is common place for investigations to be carried out to clear the air and ensure all questions regarding the incident are sufficiently answered. Speaking further, Tanimu said that the panel will also be looking into the conduct of fans and club officials from the match day, and additional punishments will be handed out to culpable individuals.

On the allegation that Fabiyi placed a bet on the game to end in a draw and alleged collusion made by Gara Gombe Ahmed Shuaibu, Tanimu pointed out that Shuaibu is a private individual who is entitled to his own opinion and does not speak for the club. However, as released in the official statement, Tanimu noted that the panel will look into match fixing claims against Fabiyi but is not at liberty to say what angle it will be examined from as it is still an ongoing investigation(reports in some quarters claim that the match was not listed by major sports betting brands in the country, hence, Fabiyi could not have placed a bet on the game).

Tanimu stressed that Gombe United is a peace loving club that believes in fair play and providing a level playing ground for visiting teams to persecute their matches. In rounding off, he pointed out that the club has accepted all LMC sanctions against them, Fabiyi Emmanuel is a player that is loved and appreciated by the team, and measures are being put in place to ensure such an incident never happens again.

Opinoin: Thankfully hooliganism was a key topic at the just concluded stakeholders meeting ahead of the resumption of the second stanza of the league. The LMC and club owners(depending on where you stand, administrators) have taken proactive steps such as giving timed ultimatum for payment on all fines from the LMC as opposed to having the money deducted from earnings at the end of the season. This and the continued dedication of the LMC to stamping out the trend will hopefully see our football to the zenith.

Questions still fester on the Match day 19 clash and its resultant fall outs, Fabiyi is being investigated, and club officials will serve their punishments. One thing is however evident, Nigerian football has no place for such incidents, and all stakeholders, ably led by the LMC, have come out to condemn the events, and will watch with keen interest the resolution of the matter.

We are watching

Feature by Modo Victor