Suspected gunmen attacked the Sunshine Stars Football Club bus along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Thursday ahead of their Nigeria Premier Football League away match to Insurance of Benin this weekend.
Sunshine Stars media officer Michael Akintunde confirmed the attack and claimed it happened on Thursday, December 7, 2023, along the Benin-Ore expressway in Ondo State.
According to Akintunde, the attack happened when the team was on their way to honour matchday 13 of the Nigeria Professional Football League match with Bendel Insurance of Benin.
He stated that some players and officials were injured in the attack.
He stated: “It saddens our hearts to inform Nigerians, especially football lovers, that our team was attacked a few minutes ago along the Benin-Ore Expressway.
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“The horrible incident happened to the team as they were on their way to play Insurance of Benin, scheduled for this weekend.
“Our ball boy was shot in the horrible attack.
“Also, our team manager and other club officials, including players, are seriously injured.”
“It took the intervention of officers of the Federal Road Safety Corp that helped rescue the injured officials and the shot individuals to a nearby hospital. ”
Images of the incident show the bus windows shattered by the gunshots. Sunshine Stars are currently 11th in the league table after 12 matches, having collected 16 points.
