Nigerian players injured after attack on bus by gunmen
Five professional footballers in Nigeria sustained serious injuries on Thursday evening, after being shot at by gunmen in an attack on the club’s entourage.
According to reports on BBC, the injured players of top flight side Kano Pillars, were travelling with their teammates to Owerri State ahead of the start of the Nigerian Premier League season this weekend.
The injured players were identified as Gambo, Ogbonaya, Eneji Otekpa, Murtala Adamu, and Moses Ekpai on the club’s Twitter account.
“The gunmen also snatched handsets and other valuables from the players,” the club added.
Kano were travelling in a bus carrying 25 people, including 18 players, when the incident occurred at about 13:15 local time.
POSTPONED
The five injured players are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja.
Following this development, the country’s league body announced that Saturday’s match against Heartland has been postponed indefinitely.
Kano were preparing to begin the defence of their Nigerian title, having started their season with victory over Al Malakia in their African Champions League preliminary round last weekend.
It is not clear whether Kano’s Champions League fixture against Moghreb Athletic Tetouane on 13 March will go ahead as scheduled.
Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous nation, has been facing consistent security threats from terrorist groups in the past few years.