By Akinwale Kasali
The Nassarawa Football Club, the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, and the entire football community have been thrown into mourning.
A Nassarawa Football Club player, Chime Martins, slumped while playing, and was pronounced dead.
In the cause of action in the week 23 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) match against Katsina United at Lafiya Township stadium on Sunday, Martins slumped, and all efforts to revive him by the medical staff from both clubs proved abortive.
The utility player bid the world farewell.
The late Martins had collided with an opponent during the match, fell down, and was immediately rushed to the Dalhatu-Araf Specialist hospital in Lafia, Nassarawa State. But he was pronounced Brought In Dead, BID.
The League Management Company (LMC), has confirmed the report of the death of the player who was a defender with Nassarawa United FC.
Chairman of LMC, Shehu Dikko said the league regrets the passing of the young man in his prime.
“We commiserate with Nasarawa United and the immediate family of the late player”, Dikko said.
The LMC expects that there would be a standard autopsy to establish the cause of the player’s death.
“It is hoped that the findings of the autopsy would inform subsequent measures, if any, that has not been addressed by the existing standard procedure”, the LMC stated.
Furthermore, the LMC said it would keep engaging both the club and the player’s immediate family to find the best way to offer support at this sad moment for the family and the Nigeria football family at large.
