Sunshine Stars, a prominent football team, was ambushed by unidentified gunmen on the Benin-Ore expressway in Ondo State on Thursday evening. The attack resulted in injuries to the team manager, players, and other officials.
Images shared on the club’s social media page showed the team’s bus with shattered windows, a grim testament to the severity of the attack.
The club had departed from their home base in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, en route to Benin in Edo State. They were scheduled to participate in the upcoming Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match against Bendel Insurance.
In a statement released after the incident, the club expressed their distress: “It saddens our hearts to inform Nigerians, especially football lovers, that our team was attacked a few minutes ago along Ore-Benin Expressway to honour an Elite League tie against Insurance of Benin, scheduled for this weekend.
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“Our ball boy was shot in the horrible attack; our team manager and other club officials, including players, are seriously injured.
“It took the intervention of officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps that helped rescue the injured officials and the shot individual to a nearby hospital. We hope you join us in prayers,” the club said.
Additional reports indicate that this is not the first time the team has faced danger. A few weeks prior, the club’s vehicle broke down at night between the border communities of Ondo and Kogi states. Players and fans have repeatedly voiced concerns about the vehicle’s dilapidated condition, arguing that it frequently exposes them to risk during transit for matches. #Sunshine Stars