NIGERIA VS GHANA: How CAF Doctor Died – NFF | READ DETAILS
Moments after the heated 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff clash between Nigeria and Ghana, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has confirmed the death of a CAF medical officer, Joseph Kabungo.
Nigeria lost the bid for a seventh World Cup appearance in a 1-1 draw match that ended in favour of her visitors, Ghana on Tuesday, 29th of March at the nation’s principal city, Abuja.
The Zambian medical personnel, Joseph Kabungo reportedly lost his life in a stampede by enraged fans who took to ravaging the stadium to show their dissatisfaction with the turn-out of events.
The football governing body through its General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, made this disclosure in a statement by the federation’s department of communications on Wednesday, the 30th of March, 2021.
Expressing shock over the unfortunate incident, the body said;
”The NFF commiserates with the world football governing body – FIFA; the Confederation of African Football; the Football Association of Zambia, and the family of Dr Kabungo on his sudden passing”.
His death pains us very much and we are in a state of deep shock.’‘
Recounting how the doctor died, the General Secretary revealed;
”According to the information from our own Medical Officer, Onimisi Salami, who was appointed by FIFA as the game’s medical officer, Kabungo was found gasping for breath near the dressing room of the Ghanaian team,” he added but said as he (Sanusi) was heading to the dressing room of the Nigerian team, the General Coordinator, Kabore Bosilong from South Africa had called his attention to the scene.
Kabungo suddenly started gasping for breath. The match’s FIFA Security Officer, Dixon Okello from Uganda, also witnessed the incident.
We tried to resuscitate him there and then, but when this did not appear to be working, we put him in an ambulance and rushed him to Cedar Crest Hospital in Apo, where he gave up the ghost”.
The NFF official went on to dismiss raging reports beatings from fans led to the doctor’s demise, terming them ”terrible”.
“It is a very sad incident and one is shocked that some persons have been putting a terrible slant to the whole thing by saying he was beaten up by fans. That is a lie.
He died as a result of sudden cardiac arrest.”
