… as Gov Obaseki comforts team, offsets medical bills
… Sunshine Stars battle with Insurance rescheduled for Sunday, 4 pm
The Management and players of Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin sympathise with Sunshine Stars FC of Akure over the unfortunate incident on their way to Benin on Thursday evening when unknown gunmen opened fire on their team bus, shooting the team’s curator, while others sustained varied degrees of injuries in the attack.
The Akure-based team was reportedly attacked on Thursday at about 5:15 PM along Ore-Benin Express Road, around the boundary town between Ondo and Edo State. The team was heading to Benin City to honour the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day 13 fixture with Bendel Insurance FC.
In an official statement signed by Bendel Insurance FC’s secretary, Charles Ihimekpen, Insurance FC noted that they received the sad news of the attack with shock and prayed that those injured recover quickly.
The statement reads: “We are saddened by the unfortunate incident. Our hearts are with you. It is our prayer that those who suffered gun injuries and others with psychological injuries recover well on time. We share in your pains.”
Insurance FC’s secretary who visited the attacked Sunshine Stars at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) said, “This is not good for Nigeria Football and Nigeria as a whole. We pray that God help us stamp out such ugly incidents of kidnapping and banditry of our country so that football will not die in Nigeria.”
It was reported that Sunshine Stars Curator was shot in the gun attack while the team manager and other club officials were injured.
According to the report, officers of the Federal Road Safety Corp intervened and helped the injured officials and the curator who was shot to UBTH where they are currently receiving treatment.
The Sunshine Stars are already in Benin City for the clash with Bendel Insurance.
Meanwhile, in a display of his magnanimity and empathy, the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, in the course of providing life-saving care, has promised to pay the medical bills that will be incurred by the Sunshine Stars team while receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
The Governor made the promise through the Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, Olympian Yusuf Alli, who has been concerned and monitoring the situation through his commission’s officials, and Bendel Insurance secretary who visited the injured at UBTH on Friday morning.
“The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki sympathizes with you. He is so concerned about what has happened to you people and he is deeply pained.
“He asked me to tell you that he is going to take care of your medical bills. He sent his goodwill message to you, praying for the quick recovery of the man who was shot in the attack. He has directed me to follow up with happenings and get the bills from you,” Yusuf said.
Following the attack, the Nigeria Premier Football League management has rescheduled the Match Day 13 game involving Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin and Sunshine Stars.
The match, earlier scheduled to be held on Saturday, December 9 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City has now been moved to Sunday, December 10, 2023, due to the unfortunate incident in which the team’s Curator was shot in his stomach, and the team manager, others sustained some injuries.
The kick-off time for the rescheduled Bendel Insurance FC and Sunshine Stars match is 4 pm.
