Cross River Ikan Sports bounced back from their heavy opening-week defeat with a spirited second-half performance to beat Gateway Horns 25-19 in Week 2 of the Showtime Bowl Series XV Flag Football season at Showtime Arena on Sunday.
After suffering a 56-13 defeat to Lagos Rebels in Week 1, Ikan Sports needed a response and made the perfect start when quarterback Timothy Atibile connected with Praise Miene for a 28-yard touchdown to establish a 6-0 lead.
Gateway Horns, however, gradually found their rhythm. Awosika Oluwafikunmi found Adewole Mosimiloluwa for the tying touchdown before connecting with Odimbu Awele Gift for another score. A successful extra point to Mosimiloluwa gave the Horns a 13-6 advantage.
Ikan Sports immediately hit back through one of the biggest plays of the contest as Atibile connected with Abayomi Agbayewa for a 45-yard touchdown, reducing the deficit to 13-12 before halftime.
Gateway entered the break with the narrow advantage, but Ikan Sports turned the contest around in the second half, scoring 13 points while restricting the Horns to six to complete a 25-19 comeback victory and secure their first win of the season.
Praise Miene was named Match MVP after finishing with 33 receiving yards and a touchdown, earning a 7.4 rating. Atibile also played a central role in the victory and topped the fantasy standings with 4.3 points, while Gateway quarterback Oluwafikunmi recorded 4.0.
The result represents an important recovery for Cross River Ikan Sports following their difficult Week 1 outing, while Gateway Horns will be left disappointed after surrendering a 13-12 halftime advantage.
For Ikan Sports, however, Week 2 delivered exactly what they needed — a response, a comeback and their first victory of the Showtime Bowl Series XV campaign.
The Kwankwassiyya Movement has revealed its next line of action following the omission of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, deputy governorship candidate in Kano State, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the final list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Kwankwaso and his principal, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, were omitted from the list published by INEC.
The NDC has since described the omission as an error, saying it is seeking a correction.
Speaking on Arise Television, Habibu Mohammed, spokesperson for the Kwankwassiyya Movement, said there was no apparent reason for the omission, adding that the movement would engage INEC to resolve the issue.
“It came as a shock because there had been no issue with INEC. Kwankwas, a former deputy governor, is registered with the NDC and met the stipulated deadline.
“Electoral provisions give candidates 14 days to seek redress if their names are omitted from the list. We will explore that opportunity and engage with INEC,” he said.
He added: “Actually, we believe there is no particular reason for the omission. INEC itself has not advanced any reason. We believe it may be an administrative error or something else because we do not have any pending judgment or court order.
“This is a man who has already served as a deputy governor, so we cannot even question his qualification. We also believe he was duly registered with the NDC within the stipulated period.
“Therefore, the omission came as a shock. However, in politics, we have seen many things, and we believe there are always ways to resolve issues. There is also a provision in the Electoral Act.
“If he is not on INEC’s list, I believe the Kwankwassiyya Movement, being law-abiding and committed to doing things the right way, will explore that opportunity and engage INEC. We are confident that the matter will be resolved because we see no reason why it should be otherwise.”
Suspected bandits have killed a 28-year-old vigilante member, Goyok Jamok, in Magi Mbar village, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. on October 10, prompting troops of Sector 5, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), deployed in Mbar, to respond to the attack.
According to the sources, the troops arrived at the scene and found Jamok dead from gunshot wounds.
“The troops discovered that Jamok had been shot dead by the suspected kidnappers,” the sources said.
The assailants reportedly fled the scene after sighting the approaching troops, abandoning their mission.
The victim’s relatives later evacuated his remains for burial.
The sources said security personnel had launched efforts to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.
“The troops are making efforts to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects,” they added.
No further details were provided about the circumstances surrounding the killing or the identities of the suspected assailants.