Family laments Army’s role as 3Sc player, Joseph Izu is laid to rest

Forum 7 years ago

Family laments Army’s role as 3Sc player, Joseph Izu is laid to rest

The remains of Joseph Izu, the Shooting Stars Footballer who was shot by soldiers in October has been la!d to rest in his home town Okarki, Rivers State.

His death cast a gloomy and sorrowful demeanor in the community as women and youths, trooped out to receive his corpse from the junction down to the internment ground where the lachrymal glands of many flowed endless tears.

Bereaved wife of the deceased, Pautia Izu, who held her 8-year-old daughter tightly said she is still in shock and disbelief a? Izu’s demise.

“We know we will all die someday. Our problem is the manner in which he was shot and refusal of his killers to do the right thing. We demand that justice should be done. That is the only thing that will console us,” she said.

Rueben Izu, the deceased father lamented the attitude of the Nigerian Army which he alleged is a disuniting tool in Nigeria, stressing that, if his late son had addressed the soldiers who shot him in Hausa language, they would have spared his life.

He urged the Army Headquater to direct the contigent involved in the incident, to return his son’s wallet containing his atm cards, Id cards and his ipad to the family.

“The atm card the young man offered to them to spare his life is still with them. He was begging them to leave him alone. He showed them everything that can identify anybody in the world, yet they still shot him and left with his Ipad, atm card and other things in his wallet. We have not been able to access his account,” he lamented.

Secretary General of the National Players Union, Austin Popo, said the union has been engaging every stakeholder in the sports community to secure justice for the late Izu and his family.

He disclosed that the Trade Union Congress has promised to reach any height to ensure no other soccer star becomes victim of extra judicial killing in the hands of the military.

The funeral was attended by former Caretaker Chairman of Ahoada West in Rivers state, Ikechukwu Obuzor, a robust delegation of 3sc stars, representatives of Ijaw National Congress and Ijaw Youth Congress.