Rafiu Ladipo, the President-General of Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporters Club,  has warned fans to desist from all forms of football gatherings as part of preventive measures  against  spreading and contacting  COVID-19.
Football fans at a  match venue
Ladipo gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday to  fans who  were in the habit of gathering  to watch football matches in their communities.
He said that it was better to stay alive to watch many matches both at the local level and English Premier Leagues than to go against all preventive measures and expose self to the danger of COVID-19.
“The spread of Coronavirus is a trending issue and that is the reason our government had to direct  that we should stay at home in order to avoid crowding;  being a fast way  of  spreading coronavirus.
“I am key-in  on that note and  also warning football lovers to stop going to watch locally- organised matches because they are fond of  building  crowd there.   And nobody  knows  who might  have contacted Coronavirus among the fans because coming to view centres.
“So,  it is better to stay away from danger, play safe so that you can live to watch other matches and anybody that dies now cannot have the opportunity to watch matches again,” he said.
According to him, the fight against Coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19 has resulted to all Premiership leagues and Laliga been cancelled and postponed across the world.
Ladipo said that if  America, France, Italy and other big nations of  the world with all their facilities  were locking down due to the outbreak of Coronavirus, Nigeria should not be an exception to the rule.
“Besides it is  for the time being, when the situation calms down and are  brought under control, we will come out to watch matches, games, film shows at cinemas  and other entertaining  events,” he added.
He also  urged everyone to stick to regular  handwashing, use of hand  sanitisers, nose masks and keep the specified distance from one another  in order to comply with  government’s preventive measures. (NAN)