Former Super Eagles defender, Sani Abacha, slumped and was pronounced dead on Thursday morning in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The 41-year-old defender played for many clubs in Nigeria including Enyimba, Shooting Stars, Gateway and Kwara United, and watched Wednesday’s Nigeria Premier League game between ABS and Nasarawa United.
“He was like our team pastor,” ABS General Manager, Alloy Chukwuemeka said. “He used to pray for the team before every game.
“He did the same thing before our game on Wednesday and then watched the match only to slump when he got home. He was taken to hospital where he died this morning.”
Abacha was buried on Thursday afternoon in Ilorin.
Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club, Kwara United, expressed deep shock over Abacha’s sudden demise.
Abacha was their former skipper.
Kwara United Manager, Agboola Basambo, stated on Thursday that Abacha was a committed player who took his job seriously while playing for the Afonja Warriors.
Basambo, however, described his death as a great loss to Nigeria, stressing that Abacha died when the country needed his services.
“I want to commiserate with all the people Abacha left behind and I pray that God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss,” Agboola said.
Meanwhile, a source close to the family said that Abacha was hale and hearty as at the close of ABS match against Nasarawa United on Wednesday which the deceased watched from the stands.
Abacha was said to have slumped later in the night and was rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Ilorin where he was confirmed dead.
Abacha played for 3SC between 1996 and 1997 League season before he moved to Kwara Utd in 1998 and left the Afonja Warriors in 2000 where he joined Enyimba International in 2001.
He joined Sharks of Port Harcourt in 2002 and re-joined Kwara Utd where he finally retired from football and he has since been living in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
