By By Taiwo Okanlawon
Armed robbers on Tuesday night attacked players and officials of the Osun United Football Club, one of the Bet9ja Nigeria National League sides at the Ore/Ondo/Akure Expressway.
The Omoluabi Giants in a 32-seater coaster bus which had 28 people including 18 players alongside technical crew led by Duke Udi, were returning to Osogbo from Calabar where they lost 2-0 to Unicem Rovers in a rescheduled Week 14 contest played on Monday at U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar.
The robbers attacked most of the players with dangerous weapons and left them with various degrees of injuries.
Among who were critically injured were the goalkeeper Ayo Ojo and Olabisi Olagunju.
It was gathered that the team driver was mostly brutalized in the incidence as he has been admitted into the emergency unit of the General Hospital in Ondo-town.
It was learnt that the team’s bus was said to have developed clutch problem on their way having left Calabar early.
Coach Udi, while confirming the incident, said the unknown gunmen attacked the team bus about three (3) kilometres to Ondo-town and all their money and phones were carted away.
The ex-international said they cheated death as the six (6) gunmen attacked them with cutlasses with no place to hide.
“We were on our way to Osogbo from Calabar, before we ran into the hands of the robbers who barricaded the Ore/Ondo/Akure road. One of them forced the door open and they were asking for money and valuables. We (players and officials) suffered varying degrees of wound as the robbers raided us.
“We thank Almighty God that there was no life lost. It could have been worse. I still thank God for sparing our lives,” Udi said.
