Glo Nigerian League: Dolphins head to Maiduguri amidst tight security

Dolphins will face El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri on Thursday.

The Glo Nigeria Premier League side, Dolphin FC of Port Harcourt, has finally agreed to play its Week 35 League fixture in the troubled city of Maiduguri against El-Kanemi Warriors after being handed a handful of police escorts for their trip from Gombe to Borno State.

The Port Harcourt side was jittery of honouring their mid-week tie having highlighted security concerns; a situation which saw Dolphins FC General Manager, Dumbo Awanen, threaten a possible boycott of the Week 35 fixture.

Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, is under a state of emergency and is troubled by the outlawed Boko Haram sect.

However with the League Management Committee acceding to a 24-hour shift and police security now provided, Dolphins will now face El-Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri.

Dolphins General Manager confirmed that after lots of deliberations, his team agreed to travel to Maiduguri by road on Wednesday.
“We spoke and the Gombe State Police Commissioner agreed to give us an escort team to Maiduguri and we will leave on Wednesday morning,” Mr. Awanen said.

The club boss said they were satisfied with the security arrangements offered and will now concentrate on football action on Thursday while other clubs play their own games on Wednesday.

Before now, 17 Premier League teams have played against El-kanemi in Maiduguri with only the duo of Bayelsa United and Wikki Tourist escaping defeat.