…Haul fans to prisons
- Police handcuff fans trying to cross borders
Nigerian football fans that came to Russia for the ongoing World Cup are making news for the wrong reasons. Our correspondent reliably learnt that many of these fans did not watch a single match as their attempt was to move to other countries from Russia, hosts of the Mundial. New Telegraph yesterday learnt that some of them trying to travel to Belarus and Finland were already in police custody.
One of the fans to the Mundial, Kennedy Nwankwo, revealed to our correspondent that Nigerians who had people in Russia as fans should start contacting them as many are already in trouble. “What Nigerians are doing here is bad.
Some destroyed their passports and FAN ID after arriving Russia but I can confirm to you that most of them are in prisons already. “I almost wept when I saw our people in handcuffs in Moscow and I learnt same situation was recorded in St Petersburg and other places.
“It is indeed a shame that people are trying to destroy a good way to FIFA introduced for us to follow the World Cup.” Another Fan ID user said he was sure many more users would be in trouble at the end of the competition.
A Russia-based Nigerian, Dr. Joe Andorra, said it was honourable for those who came with the Fan ID to return home. “This is a well-organised place and there is no way they will escape.
They will be very strict after the World Cup,” he said. Nigeria’s head of delegation to the World Cup Seyi Akinwunmi has left Russia following the first round exit of the Super Eagles. Akinwunmi explained that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) could not be held responsible for the unruly fans. “We gave education and expect every Nigerian to return,” he said.