By Dayo Awoniyi
A potential tragedy was narrowly avoided on Monday morning when players and officials of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC were involved in a road accident.
The Ilorin-based team was returning from their Nigeria National League (NNL) matches in Lagos when the incident occurred along the Ogbomoso-Ilorin expressway.
Fortunately, no lives were lost in the accident, although some members of the team sustained injuries.
Club Media Director, Tosh Michaels, confirmed the incident and expressed relief that no fatalities were recorded. While the accident could have had devastating consequences, the team emerged with only minor injuries.
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The news sent shockwaves through the Nigerian football community, with fans and well-wishers expressing their concern for the team’s safety. ABS Ilorin FC, competing in the NNL, remains focused on recovery, and ensuring the well-being of all players and officials is their top priority.
The cause of the accident remains unknown, though investigations are expected to take place to determine the circumstances. In the meantime, the team will concentrate on recovering from their injuries and preparing for their next match.
This close call recounts the risks involved in traveling for football matches, but with the team’s resilience, fans are hopeful that ABS Ilorin FC can overcome this ordeal and return to the pitch stronger than ever.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
