SuperSport crew member shot dead in Nigeria while on Afcon assignment

A SuperSport crew member was shot dead while on assignment in Nigeria for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

A seven-member SuperSport production team covering the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match between Nigeria's Super Eagles and Libya's Mediterranean Knights was abducted on Wednesday while travelling from Lagos to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Football journalist and former media officer for Nigeria's Super Eagles, Colin Udoh, broke the news on his X page.

"TRAGEDY: A journalist, one of my former SuperSport colleagues, was killed yesterday when members of the production crew for Friday’s game against Libya were kidnapped on their way to Uyo. Some of the crew have been freed, while at least 2 others are still unaccounted for," he wrote.

TRAGEDY: A journalist, one of my former SuperSport colleagues, was killed yesterday when members of the production crew for Friday’s game against Libya were kidnapped on their way to Uyo. Some of the crew have been freed, while at least 2 others are still unaccounted for

— Colin NOT Collins 🇳🇬🇺🇸 (@ColinUdoh) October 10, 2024

Tochukwu Ikenga, a police spokesperson for Anambra State, told the media that the crew, which works for South African broadcaster Supersport, was abducted by armed men on Wednesday while they were travelling through Anambra State, a hotbed of separatist violence.

"Joint security forces have successfully rescued six members of the media crew who were abducted while travelling from Lagos to Uyo along Isseke-Orlu Road in Ihiala," Ikenga said, as quoted by The Punch Newspaper.

The AFCON qualifying match between Nigeria and Libya proceeded as scheduled on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. Nigeria secured a one-goal victory, maintaining their lead in Group D of the qualifiers.

Nigeria's southeast is embroiled in violence, which the government blames on a separatist group which campaigns for the secession of a part of southeastern Nigeria where the majority belongs to the Igbo ethnic group.