How Shooting Stars' Player Was Shot Dead By The JTF In Rivers

A player with the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), a football club in Ibadan, Oyo State, Joseph Izu, who was killed by the operatives of the Joint Military Task Force in Okaki community, in the Ahoada West area of Rivers State, was shot at a close range.


Joseph’s father, Reuben Izu, and some residents stated this.

Joseph, 24, who was before his death the central midfielder of the football club, was allegedly shot dead on Sunday at the community jetty.

The late player was part of the 3SC, also called Oluyole Warriors, which finished 14th at the just concluded 2015/2016 season of the Nigeria Premier League.

Joseph’s father told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Monday that his son had gone to their hometown in Okaki to check on his wife before he met his untimely death.

“He was in Okaki with his wife before he died. He had planned to come to Port Harcourt where I live with his daughter.

“He went to the jetty area where we usually swim to have a quick shower on Sunday. It was while he was there that the men of the JTF raided the place and everybody ran helter-skelter, including Joseph.

“When the soldiers saw them running they began shooting sporadically and one of the bullets hit Joseph in the leg. As he was groaning with pain, one of the JTF men walked up to him and shot him a second time at a close range despite Joseph’s plea that he was a footballer on holiday in Okaki.

“His mobile phone and identity card were seized from him and we have not been able to retrieve them till now. The soldiers didn’t allow anybody to help him until he lost a lot of blood. After they left, he was taken to the hospital where he died due to loss of blood.”

Reuben added that the matter had been reported to the police.

The 3SC described Joseph’s death as painful and shocking.

In a statement by the media officer of the club, Jubril Arowolo, the club General Manager, Rasheed Balogun, said family sources told the club management that Joseph and two other friends were shot and injured by security agents at a jetty in Rivers State.

The club said while the wounded friends of Joseph died on the spot, the 3SC player died on his way to the hospital.

Culled from Punch