A melee broke out on Tuesday during a preseason match between Nigerian football clubs Katsina United and Niger Tornadoes at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina.
At the centre of the confusion is a Katsina United defender, Ozor Chinedu, who collapsed during the match.
The 18-year-old, recently signed from Kano Pillars, slumped on the pitch in the Gusau/Ahlan Pre-season Cup and was rushed to K-Dara Specialist Hospital, where doctors reportedly pronounced him dead.
Katsina United subsequently issued a statement announcing his demise, while clubs including Heartland and Kano Pillars mourned the player on social media.
However, in a bizarre twist of fate, mortuary staff at Katsina General Hospital later observed movement in his body, indicating that he was still alive and was immediately transferred to the Intensive Care Unit and placed on oxygen.
Media officer of Katsina United, Nasir Gide, confirmed the development, saying the player had been declared dead twice before he regained consciousness.
Popular sports photojournalist, Pooja, who had earlier announced the passing of the player, later confirmed that he was still alive.
“SAD NEWS. Katsina United player, Ozor Chinedu, has reportedly passed away after slumping during a pre-season match against Niger Tornadoes this morning,” Pooja wrote in an earlier post on his X page about the incident.
Hours later, he confirmed that mortuary officials found the player alive after they noticed movement in his body. ement of his body. We wrote. “UPDATE; They brought him back to the hospital from the mortuary after they discovered his hands shaking. He is currently on Oxygen”.
Heartland FC, one of Chinedu’s former clubs, also confirmed the incident, urging fans to pray for his recovery.
As of Wednesday morning, Chinedu remains in critical condition at Katsina General Hospital, while the football community awaits a medical report.
