*As officials lament security lapse at the stadium

By Patrick Omorodion

As Nigerians continue to rue the 1-1 draw the Super Eagles played against the Pharoahs of Egypt in Kaduna on Friday in an Africa Nations Cup qualifier, President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo has described it as a blessing in disguise.

Dr Ladipo who led his members to drum support for the Eagles in the overcrowded Ahmadu Bello Stadium said even though he was disappointed with the result which has put the team’s qualification on a difficult path, he was glad the Eagles didn’t win.

His happiness, according to him, was that a win for the Eagles could have caused a wild jubilation from the fans who would have been ecstatic and therefore encroached unto the pitch which the Egyptians could have capitalised on to protest to CAF.

“It is sad that we allowed the Egyptians to equalise but again, on a second thought, I believe the draw held back the fans from wild celebration. If we had won, the crowd would have been uncontrollable and they would have rushed into the pitch and caused us problem. The Egyptians would have been happy to take pictures and eventually protest to CAF,” he stressed.

Super Eagles  before the match against Egypt in Kaduna 

Speaking on the poor crowd control, Dr. Ladipo said, “I had to squeeze myself through one of the turnstiles that was not rotating and at a point I thought my stomach was going to rupture. I had to do that to create an avenue for my members to gain access into the stadium.”

He disclosed that when some officials saw the fans who crowded the television stand, they approached him to talk to them to come down as it could collapse and create problem for the country.

“I was astonished by the fans attitude and prayed that nothing happens because it could have been disastrous. When some officials asked me to speak to them to come down, I had to tell them that I’m not a police man to do that. The policemen on duty were overwhelmed by the fans who turned out in their numbers. We just thank God nothing happened,” he said.

Some policemen who manned the gate were overheard complaining why a match of such magnitude was brought to Kaduna and played on a Friday, adding that the National Stadium in Abuja would have been the ideal place to play the match. Even those drafted to watch at the fans in the stadium to forestall any trouble sat around the tracks watching the game.

A Football Association official from one of the South West states who pleaded anonymity wondered why the gates had to be thrown open after selling tickets and blamed the action for the overcrowding of the stadium.

Another area which some officials who pleaded anonymity felt the organisers of the match overlooked was in the area of security as fans entered into the stadium without being screened. They believed that the match coming a few days after the Brussels bomb blasts, effort should have been made to ensure that fans were screened by frisking for any explosive device.