Izu Joseph, a Nigeria Premier League defender with Shooting Stars Sports football club, has been killed during a gun battle between the military Joint Task Force (JTF) and suspected militants in Rivers State.
The news of the incident which happened on Sunday, broke out on Monday.
following the conclusion of the 2015/16 season, the player had gone home in the Okaki in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, for break after the just-concluded season of the Nigeria Professional Football League with 3SC one week earlier .
“A Shooting STAR is gone! Izu Joseph is gone! Flamboyant defender is gone! RIP, brother. What a life! May God strengthen his family #Tragedy,” his club wrote on its twitter handle on Monday.
It was alleged that defender was hit by a bullet as officers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) engaged militants of the restive Niger Delta in a long-drawn face-off on Sunday, October 16.
Shooting Stars finished in 15th position at the end of the season, with 47 points from 36 games.
