Armed robbers on Tuesday night attacked players and officials of Bet9ja Nigeria National League side, Osun United Football Club along Ore/Ondo/Akure Expressway injuring many of them carting away their money and valuables.
The team’s driver was brutalized in the incident and he is currently at the emergency unit of the General Hospital in Ondo-town.
Also, most of the players sustained varying degrees of injuries among who are goalkeeper Ayo Ojo, Olabisi Olagunju, as they were butchered by the robbers.
The Omoluabi Giants in a 32-seater coaster bus which had 28 people including 18 players alongside technical crew led by Duke Udi, were returning to Osogbo from Calabar where they lost 2-0 to Unicem Rovers in a rescheduled Week 14 contest played on Monday at U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar.
According to the media officer of the team, Tunde Shamsudeen, the team’s bus developed clutch problem on their way having left Calabar early.
Coach Udi, while confirming the incident, said the unknown gunmen attacked the team’s bus three kilometres to Ondo-town and all their money and phones were carted away.
The ex-international said they cheated death as the six (6) gunmen butchered them with cutlass with no place to hide.
“We were on our way to Osogbo from Calabar, before we ran into the hands of the robbers who barricaded the Ore/Ondo/Akure road. One of them forced the door open and they were asking for money and valuables. We (players and officials) suffered varying degrees of wound as the robbers raided us.
“We thank Almighty God that there was no life lost. It could have been worse. I still thank God for sparing our lives,” Udi said.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
