Two Nigerian footballers - one a Super Eagles international - have been released after being kidnapped on Sunday.
Enyimba FC, for whom midfielder Ekundayo Ojo plays, said that both he and Abia Comet's Benjamin Iluyomade had "regained their freedom."
The pair were taken on Sunday when a vehicle they were travelling in from Akure was attacked. Another player from Enyimba, Emmanuel James, was also in the car, but escaped.
"Our midfielder man, Dayo Ojo has regained freedom from his kidnappers," the club tweeted.
Ojo represented Nigeria at senior level at the 2018 African Nations Championship, and at youth level with the U-17 in 2010.
The news of the kidnapping had come just hours after the death in a car crash of two footballers from Rangers International - Emmanuel Ogbu and Ifeanyi George, who was also a Super Eagles player.
Enyimba statement in full
"Enyimba midfielder Ekundayo Ojo and Abia Comets' Benjamin Iluyomade, who were kidnapped on Sunday have regained their freedom.
The footballers were released on Wednesday night following efforts of the Nigeria Police Force, with support from Enyimba Football Club, the National Association of Nigeria Professional Footballers and families of the players.
It would be recalled that the footballers were kidnapped along the Benin-Owo expressway as they journeyed to Akure following the suspension of the Nigeria Professional Football League amid concerns over the global pandemic, Covid-19.
The players have since reunited with their families."
BBC
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Video - Nigeria imposes restrictions amid sharp increase in COVID-19 cases
There are concerns there is too much indifference towards the pandemic in Africa's most populous nation. Nigeria has imposed restrictions in its administrative and commercial capitals following a sharp rise in cases, and its first death. But the streets are still packed with people.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Video - Churches in Nigeria shut their gates to worshippers
Most churches in the commercial city of Lagos have shut their gates to worshippers. This follows a government directive asking religious institutions to limit their gatherings to not more than 20 persons. It's part of measures by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has seen a spike in the number of confirmed cases in recent days. Here is CGTN's Deji Badmus with more on that story.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Two Nigerian players killed in car crash
Two Nigerian footballers - international striker Ifeanyi George and Emmanuel Ogbu - have been killed in a car crash in Abudu that also claimed the life of a third person.
The pair, who played for Nigerian league side Enugu Rangers, were involved in a crash on the Benin-Agbor road whilst travelling to Lagos on Sunday morning.
Super Eagles forward George, who won two caps for his country in 2017, was 26.
Ogbu was a member of the club's youth team.
The car had another passenger - Eteka Gabriel, a friend of George's - who also died.
The players were returning to Lagos from Enugu following a break in the Nigeria league due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The management of Rangers International FC shall, in conjunction with the families of Ifeanyi George and Emmanuel Ogbu, pay a befitting last respect to both players," a club statement read.
"We mourn their sudden demise. It's indeed shocking that we are talking of Ifeanyi and Emmanuel in the past tense."
BBC
The pair, who played for Nigerian league side Enugu Rangers, were involved in a crash on the Benin-Agbor road whilst travelling to Lagos on Sunday morning.
Super Eagles forward George, who won two caps for his country in 2017, was 26.
Ogbu was a member of the club's youth team.
The car had another passenger - Eteka Gabriel, a friend of George's - who also died.
The players were returning to Lagos from Enugu following a break in the Nigeria league due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The management of Rangers International FC shall, in conjunction with the families of Ifeanyi George and Emmanuel Ogbu, pay a befitting last respect to both players," a club statement read.
"We mourn their sudden demise. It's indeed shocking that we are talking of Ifeanyi and Emmanuel in the past tense."
BBC
Nigeria reports its first coronavirus-related death
Nigeria reported its first coronavirus-related death on Monday, Nigeria's Centre for Disease Control said.
The patient was a 67-year-old man who came back to Nigeria in March after undergoing medical treatment in the UK, the NCDC said in a tweet.
He had multiple underlying health conditions including including cancer, diabetes and had been undergoing chemotherapy treatments, the statement from the agency said.
Two people, including an Italian who was the first case of coronavirus diagnosed in the country, have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, authorities said.
The country is locked in a race against time to control the spread of the novel coronavirus in Africa's most populous nation as cases have increased to 36 across six states as of Monday morning.
Universities are shut nationwide while some states have closed schools in the West African country to prevent local transmission of the virus.
All civil servants in non-essential roles have been ordered to work from home for at least two weeks in Lagos State, a megacity of around 20 million people.
Airports closed
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority announced a ban on all international flights except essential or emergency flights on Saturday.
The majority of new coronavirus cases have been detected in Nigerians who returned from countries in Europe, Canada, and the United States prompting authorities to impose a travel ban on citizens from countries with more than 1,000 cases last week.
CNN
The patient was a 67-year-old man who came back to Nigeria in March after undergoing medical treatment in the UK, the NCDC said in a tweet.
He had multiple underlying health conditions including including cancer, diabetes and had been undergoing chemotherapy treatments, the statement from the agency said.
Two people, including an Italian who was the first case of coronavirus diagnosed in the country, have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, authorities said.
The country is locked in a race against time to control the spread of the novel coronavirus in Africa's most populous nation as cases have increased to 36 across six states as of Monday morning.
Universities are shut nationwide while some states have closed schools in the West African country to prevent local transmission of the virus.
All civil servants in non-essential roles have been ordered to work from home for at least two weeks in Lagos State, a megacity of around 20 million people.
Airports closed
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority announced a ban on all international flights except essential or emergency flights on Saturday.
The majority of new coronavirus cases have been detected in Nigerians who returned from countries in Europe, Canada, and the United States prompting authorities to impose a travel ban on citizens from countries with more than 1,000 cases last week.
CNN
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)