East End Lions Football Club has issued a statement addressing the violence against their players, fans and officials during the 2024 FA Cup finals on May 4, 2024 in Portloko with Bo Rangers FC.

The statement says that the violence perpetrated that day has resulted in severe injuries, with their Center-back Abdul Nyamekye bearing the brunt of the aggression, sustaining a serious head injury after being struck by a stone.

They commended the swift action of their medics and the doctors at Port Loko Government Hospital who provided him with urgent medical attention, including stitches for his injuries at the time he needed it most.

They added that, such acts of violence not only endanger the lives of those involved but also tarnish the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie that football represents and that the safety and security of everyone at football matches, be they players, officials, or spectators, must always be upheld as paramount by everyone before, during and after the match.

They pledge their full cooperation with the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the abandonment of the Final and urged the stakeholders to heavily clamped down on those responsible for the violence and other wrong doings that betrays the course of the game.

They also extended their heartfelt gratitude to the people of Port Loko City for their unwavering kindness and hospitality throughout their five-days stay in their town as well as appreciating the Sierra Leone Police in Port Loko for their proactive effort at every intervals, the dedicated doctors and nurses at Port Loko Government Hospital, the Sierra Leone Football Association, the North-West Region Football Association, and the organizers of the 2024 FA Cup Competition for their support at every moment within the course of the game.