Adamawa United of Yola suffered a major off-pitch setback at the start of this weekend when their players and coaching crew were attacked by gunmen along Benin-Ore expressway on their way to Lagos for a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture, megasportsarena.com reports.
One of the team officials, who was not among the travelling contingent, told goal.com that the kidnappers demanding a ransom of 50 million naira for the abducted driver, as the team from Yola plied the road on their way to keeping a date with Mountain of Fire & Miracles Ministry (MFM) FC of Lagos.
This comes four years after a similar incident, in June 2017, when armed robbers attacked the players and officials of Adamawa Queens of Yola on Wednesday on their way from Yola to Benin City for a Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL) match.
Back then, players and officials of the women football team were attacked and robbed few kilometers to Katsina Alain Benue State, where the girls and their officials were subjected to humiliation before being dispossessed of their money and valuables.
Adamawa United, who have been hosting their home matches at Pantami Stadium in Gombe this season, as the arena in Yola is still under construction left on Friday with the ambition to battle MFM FC in their Matchday 11 fixture at Agege Stadium, Lagos on Sunday.
The incident happened a day after their league rivals Wikki Tourists survived an accident, which saw their bus caught up in flames at Hawan Kibo near Jos, Plateau State, after which the Bauchi-based club was aided by Plateau United who granted them their bus to journey back home after their league outing against Dakkada FC in Uyo was postponed.
Gombe United, who currently compete in the second division, have sympathised with Ladan Bosso’s side following the unfortunate event, as they posted on social media: “Our chairman Dr Larry Daniel on behalf of the club sympathize with @AdamawaUnitedfc.
“As the Players and officials were attacked along Benin- Ore expressway losing their phones and other valuables while their driver was abducted. We pray for his quick release.”
