NIGERIA Premier Football League (NPFL) club’s side Sunshine Stars have lost their assistant kit manager, Taiwo Dosunmu, who was attacked by gunmen two weeks ago.
The ICIR reported how yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the club on its way to honour the NPFL match day 13 fixture against Bendel Insurance of Benin along the Ore-Benin highway.
He died at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the University of Benin Teaching on Friday, December 22.
A statement released by the club through its media officer, Michael Akintunde, on December 7 said one of the club’s ball boys was shot while other officials were injured.
“It saddens our hearts to inform Nigerians, especially football lovers, that our team was attacked a few minutes ago along Ore-Benin Expressway to honour an elite league tie against Insurance of Benin, scheduled for this weekend.
“Our ball boy was shot in the horrible attack. Our team manager and other club officials, including players, were seriously injured,” the statement read.
The statement added that the injured officials and the ball boy were rushed to a nearby hospital with the intervention of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officers.
Sixteen days after the attack, the club announced Dosunmu’s death after a series of surgeries by consultants at the ICU of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
“With a lot of pain in our hearts, we announce the untimely transition to an eternity of our dear brother and assistant kit manager, Taiwo Dosunmu, who died in the line of duty by the bullets of armed bandit along Benin-Ore expressway on Thursday, December 7, 2023.” the club said.
The statement added that the deceased burial arrangements would be communicated as authorised by the family.
On December 10, The ICIR reported that the Edo state Police command kept mum over the attack on the club.
Netizens react to Dosunmu’s death, fault government on insecurity
Mixed reactions have trailed Dosunmu’s death on the club’s X account, as Nigerians condoned the deceased’s family and lampooned the Nigerian government over insecurity in the nation.
Ikokwu Chidozie, @ikokwuchidozie questioned the presence of uniformed security officers on the nation’s roads, adding that the roads remained unsafe.
“On this same road, you will find multiple roadblocks by various security outfits,” he wrote.
Another X user, Chim-Nedum, @EduWaltzChuka expressed how disheartening the loss of the club’s assistant kit manager was.
“Nigeria always taking her own. RIP,” he wrote.
Another X user, Igwe Onyekachi, @onyekapray bemoaned the state of insecurity on the nation’s highways.
“The series of killings along the expressway by bandits is becoming alarming. Those who are supposed to protect us are busy trying to curry favours from travellers rather than doing their jobs. What a pity! Thoughts with his family,” he wrote.