Facts have emerged on the recent attack on Nasarawa Utd’s playmaker, Haggai Katoh by their own fans in Lafia Stadium shortly after their week 29 game against visiting Rivers Utd has forced him into dumping the Lafia Based Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side.
Haggai left Lafia last week’s Monday morning for his home town in Jos having been attacked by Nasarawa United’s fans allegedly loyal to Coach Bala Nikyu the previous day.
Eye witness report has it that Haggai had a faceoff with the Nikyu during the match which saw the Milners defeated their visitors 2-1
According to the eye witness, Hagai was not comfortable with some of the instructions from Nikyu while on the field of playing and thus reacted, a situation Nikyu allegedly substituted him in the early minutes of the second half.
An eyewitness account also had it that shortly after the encounter with Haggai, Nikyu was heard saying that he will ‘beat him,’ a situation that culminated into the eventual attack on the player shortly after the final whistle of the game.
It was gathered that it took the combined efforts of some coaches and fans to protect the Jos born player from his attackers.
A fan who identified himself as Abdul said, “We were not happy that he (Haggai) was talking to our coach that was why we wanted to beat him.”
Meanwhile, shortly after the incident, Haggai vowed never to return to the club again.
This reporter who was lived at Lafia Stadium reported that Hagai left the camp that very evening and on Monday morning left Lafia for Jos his home town.
It could be recalled that a similar incident had occurred between the two and the club’s chairman, Isaac Danladi as well as the Commissioner for youth and sports development in the state, Othman Adams pleaded with the player to return to the club and since then, Haggai has played a key role in the newfound form of the Lafia based NPFL side.
It was further gathered that Haggai had already secured a contract abroad and is due to leave the country very soon.
