Aftermath of NDU crisis: Uneasy calm in Amassoma

YENAGOA—NORMALCY is gradually returning to Amassoma, the host town of Niger Delta University, NDU, Bayelsa State, after days of unrest which reportedly led to loss of lives. 

Our reporter, who visited the town yesterday, observed that the streets were empty, and although life was beginning to pick up, the once busy town was still deserted and devoid of the usual hustling and bustling. The main campus of the university was under lock while a detachment of security operatives made up of police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, operatives were stationed outside. No fewer than 15 police vans were sighted including an Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at the school gate, while other vans patrolled the town. Economic and social activities were virtually absent as most shops and business centres remained shut.

Could Real Madrid fans be dreaming of ‘la decimotercera’ (@Deltanews247)

With just hours before kick-off in Saturday’s Champions League final in Kiev, supporters of Real Madrid began to converge on the Santiago Bernabeu in the hope of witnessing “la decimotercera”, a 13th European Cup title. Real Madrid’s supporters hold scarves and flags prior to the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 26, 2018. Near to their stadium, which will be packed out with fans watching the match against Liverpool on a giant screen, were hundreds of Real supporters, many with flags in the team’s colours draped over their shoulders or fastened around their waists.






“We are the kings of Europe”, chanted one fan carrying a megaphone while others danced and sang songs celebrating the club’s rich and successful history. “It’s what we’ve been waiting for the whole year. We’re going to win our third consecutive title, which no team has ever done,” one supporter, Javier Saez, told AFP just outside the ground. Streets in the city centre were also awash with fans wearing replica shirts, many sporting the names of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo or Real captain Sergio Ramos. The most successful club in European Cup history with 12 titles, Real are bidding for yet another triumph in Kiev to add another glorious chapter to the club’s storied history. Frenchman Zinedine Zidane could become the first coach to win three consecutive Champions League crowns, despite having spent less than three years at the helm. “It would be a proud moment. No one has done it,” said Joel Martin, holding aloft an inflatable European Cup. Gabriel Diaz, a Real fan from Barcelona, was at the Bernabeu last year to watch a live broadcast of the 4-1 victory over Juventus in the final in Cardiff. “It was one of the best days of my life. To live that was an unforgettable experience. It’s the best club in the history of football without doubt,” he added