Sporting Lagos FC of Lagos goalkeeper, Clinton Lawani has expressed amazement at the huge crowd that turned up to watch his team’s fixture away to Kano Pillars in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL).

Sports247 reports that Lawani, who is a graduate of Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) and a recent invitee to the under-20 national team, Flying Eagles, acknowledged that the turn out of fans at Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano was massive.

He then stated delight that he and his teammates were not intimidated by the huge array of partisan supporters of ‘Sai Madu Gida’ in the stands, as his Lagos-based side were able to pull off a stunning 1-1 away draw.

Dramatically, Lawani was named man of the match, having put up a sterling performance and produced several remarkable saves to deny Kano Pillars from taking all three points in the Matchday 7 encounte.

He thanked his colleagues for making the award possible and revealed that his major target this season is to help Sporting Lagos get a continental spot at the end of the ongoing campaign, which is the club’s first back in the top-flight after gaining promotion last term.

The youngster also disclosed that he had a lot of awe from playing against Pillars’ veteran duo of Ahmed Musa and Rabiu Alli, who he described as vibrant inspirations about the route to success for young players like him.

“This is the biggest crowd I have ever played in front of. I’m happy to play against big names like Ahmed Musa and Rabiu Ali,” said Lawani, who also encouraged other young players in the NPFL to stay focused and determined in order to achieve their breakthrough.

Sports247 reports further that Lawani’s impressive outing against Kano Pillars further underlined his growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s most promising home-based goalkeepers in the NPFL and domestic scene as a whole.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed a total of 20,234 kilogrammes of skunk on 8.0936 hectares of cannabis farm in Osun State.

NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday that operatives destroyed the forest, located in Area 4, Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State, on September 30.

In another development, Mr Babafemi said a suspect was arrested on September 29 at the West of Mines area of Jos North, Plateau State, following the seizure of 33 bags of skunk weighing 385kg.

Also, in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on September 28 raided an unoccupied compound at Divine Estate, Ago Palace, where they recovered 209,000 tablets of tramadol.

Mr Babafemi said a 23-year-old boy was nabbed on September 30, in a follow-up operation at Ladipo Spare Parts Market following the seizure of 61 grammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis.

“A 24g of methamphetamine hidden in a bottle of an energy drink as a waybill package from a commercial bus driver along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway the previous day was recovered,” he said.

In Kogi, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja highway on September 30 intercepted a Lagos-Abuja commuter bus and found a waybill concealing two sachets of methamphetamine weighing 1kg.

Mr Babafemi said that in a follow-up operation, officers arrested the consignment’s owner in Utako, Abuja.

Additionally, the residence of a suspect was raided in the Uyere community, Ovia North-East LGA, Edo State, on Friday, October 2, where NDLEA officers recovered 32.2kg of cannabis sativa.

“The same day, another suspect was arrested at Auchi Bypass, Benin City, with 59 grams of Loud, 12 grammes of Colorado, 19 grams of Tramadol, 16 grams of methamphetamine, four grammes of Swinol and four grams of Molly,” Mr Babafemi said.

In another development, six years after jumping bail, a 47-year-old fugitive man was arrested by NDLEA operatives on September 29.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect was facing trial at the Federal High Court, Jos, Plateau State, in connection with the possession and dealing in 198 kilogrammes of skunk.

He, however, jumped bail granted by the court in December 2020 and has evaded arrest since then.

(NAN)