The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed sympathy to players and officials of Rivers United FC who sustained minor injuries in a road accident while travelling to Awka, the Anambra State capital, for their 2026 President Federation Cup Round of 16 fixture against Nasarawa United.
In a statement issued on Thursday evening, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said the federation was saddened by reports of the accident, which occurred along the Obiri-Ikwerre Airport Road on the outskirts of Port Harcourt.
“The NFF received with shock the news of the road accident involving your players and officials around Obiri-Ikwerre Airport Road while on the way to a President Federation Cup Round of 16 match in Awka, Anambra State,” Sanusi said.
He expressed gratitude that there were no fatalities, while wishing those injured a speedy recovery.
“While we thank God that there were no fatalities, we empathise with those who sustained minor injuries in the accident and wish them quick recovery,” he added.
According to fixtures released by the NFF, Rivers United are scheduled to face Nasarawa United in Awka on Saturday, with kick-off set for 4 p.m. The winner of the encounter will advance to the quarter-finals of this year’s President Federation Cup competition.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
