Nigeria Premier League champions, Dolphins FC, want the NPL Board and security agencies to look into threats made by Kano Pillars shortly after a league game between both sides in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Dolphins Media Officer, China Acheru, alleged that a Kano Pillars coach, identified as Kabiru Baleria, pointed at the Dolphins bench and warned them not to go to Kano for the reverse fixture or else they (Pillars) will set the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, on them.
“It was an irresponsible statement to make but we are not taking it lightly,” Acheru said.
He added: “I agree it was said in the heat of the moment and they felt aggrieved conceding a goal, but people should watch what they say.
“In the last two years, we have had people killed, churches blown up and more threats made by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, and if a person like Kabiru Baleria, who played football to the top level in his days, can make a statement like that, he must be called in by the security agencies for questioning because he must have a link with them.”
Acheru named three Port Harcourt based journalists, Florence Israel of Sporting Life, Carl Orakwue of Cool/Wazobia FM and Nduka Orjinmo as direct witnesses who heard Baleria say: “Walahi, if you people come to Kano, we will use Boko Haram to blow you up. Don’t even bother coming. We will use them to kill you.”
Dolphins have already written to the Nigeria Premier League intimating it of the threat on their lives and will write to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, to look into the matter.
The game was goaless until the 98th minute when Dolphins scored through Emem Eduok.
Pillars protested the eight minutes of added time but officials of Dolphins believe the referees were spot on as there were two major injuries in the second half and added time.
Dolphins’ goalkeeper, Austin Brown, was down for about five minutes while in added time, Kano Pillars goalkeeper, Theophilus Afelokhai, was down for three minutes.