Katsina United Football Club has revealed the circumstances surrounding the death of its player, Chinedu Ozor, denying reports that he regained consciousness after collapsing during a friendly match against Niger Tornadoes at the Muhammad Dikko Stadium in Katsina.
In a statement titled ‘A Heartfelt Clarification’, the club’s media directorate said, “There are moments when words simply fail us. This is one of those moments. With broken hearts, we wish to clarify the circumstances surrounding the tragic passing of our player, Chinedu Ozor, who collapsed during a friendly match against Niger Tornadoes at the Muhammad Dikko Stadium, Katsina.”
The club addressed reports suggesting the player survived the collapse. “We have seen reports claiming that Chinedu later regained consciousness or ‘came back to life.’
“We understand that people desperately wanted this to be true. We all did. But sadly, those reports are not true,” it said.
Explaining the confusion, the club said, “In the heartbreaking moments after the incident, Chinedu’s family, overwhelmed by shock and refusing to give up hope, asked for further medical confirmation before his body was taken to the morgue. They were a family desperately hoping that somehow, against all odds, their loved one was still with them.”
It, however, insisted this should not be misconstrued. “That moment of hope must not be turned into a story that Chinedu survived. He did not regain consciousness. He passed away,” the statement said.
Katsina United acknowledged the widespread grief following the incident. “We know how difficult this is to accept. We know many people are still trying to process what happened.
“His teammates are grieving. His friends are grieving. The club is grieving. And somewhere, a family is facing a pain that words cannot begin to describe,” it said.
The club appealed for an end to unverified reports. “So please, we ask from the bottom of our hearts: stop the rumours. Stop the false reports. Stop sharing unverified information,” it said.
It further urged compassion for those affected. “Behind every post, every headline and every video is a grieving family. Behind the name Chinedu Ozor was a son, a brother, a teammate, a friend and a young man whose life meant so much to many people.
“At this moment, what his family needs is compassion, not speculation. What his teammates need is space to grieve. And what Chinedu deserves is to be remembered with dignity,” the statement read.
The club pleaded saying, “Please let us allow him to rest. May God give his family the strength to carry this unimaginable pain, and may the soul of Chinedu Ozor rest in perfect peace.”
(The Whistler)