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26.01.2009 Football News

Crash kills Nigerian footballers

By BBC
Crash kills Nigerian footballers
26.01.2009 LISTEN


Police in Nigeria say 15 members of a local government football team have been killed in a road accident in central Plateau state.

The Nigeria Football Federation head, Mohamed Sanusi, said the team had been on their way to play a match in Abuja.

A similar incident in the same area last month killed at least nine female football players.

Correspondents say Nigeria's roads are among the most dangerous in the world, killing thousands of people every year.

Mr Sanusi said the team, FC Jimeta from north-east Adamawa state, had been heading to the capital for a professional league match when their bus was involved in an accident.

He told AFP news agency that 11 players had died at the scene while four others died in hospital. Two other injured players were said to be "on the danger list".

"It is really another very sad day for Nigerian football," said Mr Sanusi.

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