/ 27 January 2000

LAWYER MAY SUE CUP ORGANISERS

A NIGERIAN lawyer is threatening to sue organisers of the on-going African Nations Cup after he was beaten up by security agents and officials at the Nigeria-Tunisia match on Sunday. Austin Mamedu told the television station AIT he had been invited by organisers to the match but was caught up in a stampede when spectators surged to get into the stadium. “A lot of people fell down… and were injured. Several hundreds of spectators were beaten up by security agents with horsewhips and batons,” he said, adding that police had used teargas to clear the crowd. “I am going to claim damages for my injuries,” he said. The incident occured shortly before the kick-off of the match which Nigeria went on to win 4-2.