Suspected gunmen have attacked the players of Sunshine Stars Football Club Akure, Ondo State.
The armed men numbering about five ambushed the football players on a spot on the Ore/Benin road while travelling for an away match with Bendel Insurance of Benin.
It was gathered that an official of the club whose real identity has yet to be revealed was shot in the stomach by the rampaging gunmen.
Also, the football team manager, Seun Betiku, and some officials of the club were injured in the attack.
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Daily Trust could not immediately gather if there were fatalities in the attack.
Confirming the attack in a telephone interview, Michael Akintunde, Officer Media of the Sunshine Stars Football Club, said the team was heading for the match day 13 of the Nigeria Premier Football League in Benin when the gunmen struck.
“One of the officials 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 Corp who helped rescue the injured officials and the shot individual to a nearby hospital,” he said.
He added that the injured victims had been rushed to the hospital.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo State, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, confirmed the incident but noted that the attack was not under his jurisdiction.
The attack was coming barely a few weeks after the official vehicle (bus) of the Ondo-based football club broke down in the dead of the night between the border communities of Ondo and Kogi states.
Players of the club have repeatedly complained about the rickety condition of the vehicle, which they revealed often exposed them to danger while in transit for matches.
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