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By Peter Akinbo.
Journalists were on Wednesday denied access to the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos, where the Super Eagles had their routine training session ahead of their 2023 AFCON qualifier against Sierra Leone in Monrovia on Sunday.
Eagles media officer, Femi Raji had sent a WhatsApp message indicating the team would train in the evening, with media personnel allowed to cover the session.
The message read, “AFCON 2023 QUALIFIER. June 14, 2023. Training: 5.50pm. Venue: Mobolaji Johnson Arena. Media Access”
But soldiers, police officers and officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps ordered journalists out of the stadium around 5pm, after the match between Sporting Lagos and Smart City.
This was after a police officer announced that he had received a new directive from the Chief Security Officer of the Super Eagles asking “all the pressmen to leave the stadium.”
Some of the journalists waited outside the gate of the stadium, hopeful that they would be let in when the Eagles arrived.
Pleas from the reporters, that they were invited to cover the event, fell on deaf ears. The security personnel also refused to acknowledge the identity cards displayed by the reporters.
However, after the Eagles came in at 5:36pm, none of the journalists on ground was let in and soon after, they started to leave the premises.
At 6:07pm, our correspondent and other journalists left were pushed out by a policeman.
“I am particularly disappointed, it is very painful to act based on official communication and still be treated in such manner. I know how much it cost me getting to the stadium at short notice. If you don’t want the media around the team for any reason, then you don’t invite them,” Tunde Eludini, a reporter with Premium Times, told The PUNCH.
“I hope the communication will be harmonised better and such doesn’t repeat itself. I wish the Eagles all the best nonetheless.”