Presidential committee recommends ban on canned drinks, bottled water at match venues

Sunday Dare, minister of sports and youth development, has received the report of the presidential investigative committee set up to scrutinise the vandalism of the Moshood Abiola Stadium by fans following the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Sanni Mohammed, chairman of the committee, led the delegation that submitted the report on Tuesday.

The Black Stars of Ghana ended Nigeria’s dream of becoming the first African country to qualify for four consecutive World Cups.

Following the game’s final whistle, some fans stormed the pitch and damaged the facilities in the stadium.

Reacting to the vandalism, Dare had announced that committees had been set up to investigate the pre-match preparedness and vandalisation. He had also said a “comprehensive report” on the incident would be “x-rayed.”

Speaking on the report, Mohammed said the committee undertook a physical inspection of the stadium.

He thereafter recommended that the “sale of bottled water and canned drinks should be banned within the precincts of the football pitch as they can be weaponised.”

“One of our key recommendations is that protocol and security officials should be involved in the planning stage of future events or tournaments while the sales of bottled water and canned drinks should be banned within the precincts of the Football pitch as they can be weaponised,” the committee chairman said.

On his part, Dare promised full implementation of the report whilst emphasising its recommendations will serve as a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for the ministry and NFF in planning for future events.

TheCable had reported that FIFA sanctioned Nigeria over fans’ invasion of Abuja stadium.