Nasarawa United defender Chineme Martins has died after slumping midway into their Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matchday 23 fixture against Katsina United at the Lafia Township Stadium on Sunday.
Reports say he was rushed to the Dalhatu-Araf specialist hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to eyewitnesses and several videos which captured events at the stadium, the player wasn’t administered Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the time he slumped and the designated ambulance refused to start.
The delay in the player receiving medical attention is likely to have contributed to his demise according to reports.
Play continued with Nasarawa United taking all three points courtesy of Chinedu Ohanachom’s second-half hat trick. Players of the home side were inconsolable at the end after new filtered in of Chineme’s demise.
The League Management Company (LMC) commiserated with the club and Martin’s family in a statement on their website.
LMC confirms death of Nasarawa United player, calls for autopsy#NPFL20https://t.co/8WAlSALWJb
— League Management NG (@LMCNPFL) March 8, 2020
“We commiserate with Nasarawa United and the immediate family of the late player,” LMC chairman Shehu Dikko said in a statement.
The LMC called for an autopsy to be conducted on the player to establish the cause of death.
“It is hoped that the findings of the autopsy would inform subsequent measures if any that has not been addressed by the existing standard procedure”, the LMC stated.
