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Katsina United Football Club has formally verified the passing of team member Chinedu Ozor, bringing closure to mixed reports after claims surfaced that the athlete displayed vital signs following an initial death pronouncement.
Nasir Gide, who serves as the club’s Media Officer, validated the update during a phone conversation with Channels Television on Wednesday.
Gide stated that Ozor lost consciousness just nine minutes into a pre-season fixture between Katsina United and Niger Tornadoes held in Katsina on Tuesday morning.
He was transported urgently to K-Dara Specialist Hospital located in Gidan Dawa, where medical personnel declared him deceased, with a subsequent confirmation following at Katsina General Hospital.
Nevertheless, events shifted dramatically as the player’s remains were being moved toward the mortuary facility.
Gide clarified that Ozor’s roommate allegedly spotted movement in one of the player’s hands while inside the mortuary, leading to a prompt transport back to Katsina General Hospital.
Following family instructions, the athlete was kept on mechanical life support inside the Intensive Care Unit for a full day.
Gide mentioned that upon learning of the occurrence, relatives insisted that the body remain out of the mortuary until they could witness the situation themselves.
“It was his roommate that said he noticed the player moving his hand while at the mortuary. The family therefore requested that the body should not be deposited in the mortuary until after they arrived,” Gide said.
Regardless of emergency medical interventions and the day-long observation period within the ICU, Katsina United has now verified that the young athlete has passed away.
Gide announced that club executives would conduct a press briefing later on Wednesday to share additional context regarding the unfortunate event.
The uncertainty stemmed from widespread accounts on Tuesday evening suggesting that Ozor—previously pronounced dead following his pitch collapse—was showing signs of life at Katsina General Hospital, momentarily sparking survival hopes.
Prior to those updates circulating, the Katsina State Government had already released an official message expressing grief over the player.
Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, issued a signed note in which the governor characterized the event as a severe blow to Katsina United, the broader sports sector, and Katsina State.
“The sudden death of Chinedu Ozor is deeply shocking and heartbreaking. It is particularly painful that a young footballer with a promising career has lost his life at such a time,” the governor had said.
Furthermore, he offered sympathies to the footballer’s relatives, Katsina United FC, players, coaching staff, administration, fans, former team Kano Pillars FC, and Nigerian football stakeholders overall.
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