Players of FC Ifeanyi Ubah were on Friday attacked by armed robbers while travelling to Kano to honour their match against Jigawa Golden Stars in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), scheduled for Sunday.
In a Facebook post signed by the management of the club side on Friday night, the Anambra Warriors ran into the robbers dressed in the uniforms of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the Kabba junction, near Lokoja, Kogi state, at about 1:30 pm in the afternoon.
No life was lost in the incident, but some players got injured.
“This is to inform the general public that at about 1:30pm today, players of FC Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra Warriors) who were travelling to Kano for their scheduled NPFL match day 6 fixture against Jigawa Golden Stars ran into a group of armed robbers dressed in NYSC uniforms, operating at Kabba junction, near Lokoja in Kogi state.
“To the glory of God, no life was lost. However, the driver was shot while some members of the coaching crew and players were critically injured. The affected persons are currently being treated and are responding to treatment” the post read.
The club pleaded with the Federal government, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Company (LMC) “to further intensify security efforts to ensure the safety of teams who often have no choice than to travel long distances by road, especially clubs owned by Private investors who are made to invest their hard earned money in the growth and development of Nigerian football.”
FC Ifeanyi Ubah currently sit 10th place in the NPFL table after five matches. They drew goalless against Lobi Stars at home, in their last outing.