Roundup: Nigeria mourns death of football fans in tragic incident

Nigerians are saddened over the death of some football fans in the southern city of Calabar, who were electrocuted while watching Europa League quarter-final game on Thursday.

The police said seven people died while 11 were hospitalized after a high tension electric cable fell on a zinc structure where football fans were watching Manchester United in a Europa quarter finals match against Anderlecht.

The incident happened at about 9:30 p.m. local time at Nyagasang area of Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

A survivor of the tragic incident told newsmen that a transformer near the viewing center located in the Iyang-Esu area of the Calabar Municipal Local Government Area exploded during the match and caused a high-tension cable to drop on the viewing center.

President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement made available to Xinhua expressed sadness over the tragic event that took the lives of several citizens.

The president on Friday in Abuja commiserated with the government and people of Cross River and football fans nationwide over the unfortunate incident.

He commended the government for the prompt action in setting up a commission of inquiry into the incident, and for its offer of assistance to the victims and their families.

"I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the mostly young victims whose sudden demise is a big blow not only to their families, but also to the football-loving nation," he said.

Also, the state governor Ben Ayade described as tragic and horrifying, the loss of several lives at a viewing center in the state capital.

The governor said it was heart wrenching that the lives of the young men were lost through electrocution.

"The incident marks a dark chapter in the life of the state where the precious lives of football lovers have been lost," he added.

"At this point in time, it is sad to know that the victims lost their lives at a viewing center where they usually converge, at their leisure time to watch their matches," Ayade said.

While commiserating with the families of the victims of the tragedy, the governor promised that the state government would look into the likely cause of the incident to preventing re occurrence.

On his part, Paul Boroh, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Program, said the loss was extremely downcast and heartbreaking.

He advised that this should be a lesson for relevant authorities to ensure proper assessment of every business location in the state before granting approvals.

Similarly, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Chairman, Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), described the death of as tragic and unfortunate.

"I am sad and heartbroken at the way and manner the young and promising lives of the young men were lost through electrocution," he added.

"I am deeply saddened at the loss of these promising lives at a time our nation and indeed the state is set to tap into the vast potentials of our vibrant young men and women for the greater good of our society," he said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) says it has commenced full investigation to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the electrocution.

Peter Ewesor, who is also the Managing Director of the agency, described the incident as "unfortunate."

"Our field engineers are already there. I am equally on the way to the place now for us to go and find out actually what happened, how it happened and how we can prevent future occurrence," he added. Endit