Maduka Okoye, first choice goalkeeper of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, deactivated the comment section of his Instagram account amid death threats on Monday.

FIJ observed that users of the popular social media platform could not comment on any of the goalkeeper’s 15 posts on his official page, @madukaokoye. This comes a day after users threatened him with death in his comment section.

While several Nigerians call the threats to Okoye’s life mere ‘cruise’, FIJ understands that bitter football fans can go any length to express their dissatisfaction, as it happened in 1994, when an own goal led to the death of Andres Escobar, a defensive player for the Colombian national team.

Escobar’s story began in June 1992. The FIFA World Cup tournament was to begin in the US, and his country, Colombia, was one of 24 teams set to participate.

In more modern times, the tournament features 32 teams, but back in 1994, only 24 teams contested for football’s most coveted trophy.

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Colombia was one of the teams tipped to make the semi-final stage of the World Cup, so it was all the more shocking when they exited the competition during the group stage.

Around this time, Pablo Escobar, popular leader of the Medellín drug cartel, a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise, had just been murdered. He was loved by his country’s poor population whom he gave housing and employment.

He was in no way related to Andres, but his mark in Colombian football was as equally relevant at the time. Pablo built various football pitches where young players trained.

Andres was a quiet, lanky, no-nonsense defender, while Pablo was considerably shorter, stout and feared. Despite no genetic links, Pablo’s death would eventually lead to Andres’ demise.

HOW ANGRY WERE THE GAMBLERS?

Colombia could not have had a worse start at the tournament, losing 3-1 to the Romanian side many tipped to be the first for elimination. That loss sent a lot of money down the drain, as gamblers staked heavily on a Colombian victory.

With Pablo Escobar dead, the criminal world of Colombia was in no man’s hands. There was anarchy among criminal gangs. After the world cup defeat, brother of Luis Herrera, Colombian defender, was killed in a car accident.

The team stayed together, aiming to defeat the US in the second match and get their tournament back on track, but Medellín was on fire. The streets were littered with blood, burnt cars and bodies.

In Florida, team manager Maturana cried as he arrived for a pre-match meeting with his players. They had received more death threats, while Maturana had been warned that if veteran midfielder Gabriel ‘Barrabas’ Gómez was selected, the entire squad would be murdered.

The worst would happen to Colombia and Andres Escobar in the 22nd minute as Andres sent the ball past his own goalkeeper and into the Colombian net, giving the US a 1-0 advantage.

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The US won that match 3-1, effectively knocking Colombia out and sending the football-loving nation into a furious frenzy.

DEATH THREATS AND WARNINGS

In July, 1994, Andres Escobar returned to Colombia despite receiving multiple death threats and warnings from his family members.

Upon returning, he attempted to calm tensions. Escobar wrote a piece titled “life doesn’t end here”.

An excerpt from the piece read:

“Life doesn’t end here. We have to go on. Life cannot end here. No matter how difficult, we must stand back up. We only have two options: either allow anger to paralyse us and the violence continues, or we overcome and try our best to help others. It’s our choice. Let us please maintain respect. My warmest regards to everyone. It’s been a most amazing and rare experience. We’ll see each other again soon, because life does not end here.”

But in the wee hours of July 2, 1994, he was shot six times while returning from a bar.

According to eyewitness reports, Escobar showed his face to the wrong people. Upon arriving at Medellín’s El Indio Bar with friends, the footballer enjoyed a few drinks and was happily talking to fellow revellers when a few people began insulting him, sarcastically cheering his error against the USA.

Escobar left the premises, but the four-strong group hurling abuse followed him, continued their tirade and loudly labelled him a “faggot”.

Upset, Escobar drove his car across the car park in order to reason with his detractors, insisting his own goal had been “a honest mistake”.

An already tense situation escalated, and at least one gunshot was fired. Six bullets tore through the flesh and bone of Escobar’s back as he sat at the wheel of his car.

The vehicle the shooters used to escape was later discovered to be registered to the Gallón brothers, Pedro and Juan, drug traffickers who had left Pablo Escobar’s Medellín cartel to join the Pepes.

Humberto Castro Muñoz confessed to Escobar’s murder and was later sentenced to 43 years in prison, only to be released for good behaviour after serving just 11. His employers, the Gallóns, were cleared of any wrongdoing.