Katsina United issues statement on Ozor's passing amid speculation

Katsina United has shed light on the medical emergency that befell their player, Chinedu Ozor, after he collapsed during a pre-season game in Katsina on Tuesday, an incident that was reported by The PUNCH.

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Ozor's collapse occurred during Katsina United's match against Niger Tornadoes at the Gusau/Ahlan Pre-season Cup in Katsina, and he was subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital, where a doctor pronounced him dead.

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Following his passing, the club announced the news through its official communication channels, but his former club, Heartland of Owerri, later reported that Ozor had been moved from the morgue and placed on oxygen after medical personnel noticed movements in parts of his body.

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Katsina United media officer Nasir Gide confirmed that the player was moved back to the intensive care unit at Katsina General Hospital after initially being taken to the morgue, stating that a doctor had confirmed him dead at a nearby hospital.

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Gide explained that after collecting a police report, they took Ozor's body to Katsina General Hospital, where he was also pronounced dead, and his body was taken to the morgue, but was later moved to the ICU when medical personnel noticed movements in his body.

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The club issued a statement on Wednesday to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident, stating that reports of Ozor regaining consciousness were inaccurate, and expressed their sadness at his passing.

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The statement, which expressed the club's broken hearts, stated that despite efforts to save Ozor, he sadly passed away, and emphasized that reports claiming he had regained consciousness were not true.

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Ozor's family had asked for further medical confirmation before his body was taken to the morgue, driven by their desperate hope that he might still be alive, according to the club's statement.

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The club acknowledged the difficulty of accepting Ozor's passing, noting that his teammates, friends, and the club were all grieving, and that his family was facing a pain that words could not describe.

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Heartland FC posted a condolence message, saying that Ozor had fought the good fight and tried his best, but sadly could not make it, and that he had gone to his rest, though far too soon.

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Meanwhile, Barau FC reiterated its withdrawal from the pre-season competition, accusing the organisers of poor organisation and allowing the tournament to continue despite the incident.

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The incident has raised concerns about medical preparedness at football venues in Nigeria, coming exactly one year after Shooting Stars assistant coach Akin Olowokere collapsed and died during a training session on August 11, 2025.

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Olowokere, a former Sunshine Stars player and coach, was rushed to hospital after collapsing on the pitch but was pronounced dead, in a incident that highlighted the need for better medical preparedness in Nigerian football.

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In another recent incident, Nasarawa United defender Chineme Martins, 23, died after collapsing during a league match against Katsina United in March 2020, leading to a directive from the Nigeria Football Federation that no further league matches should be played without required medical equipment and personnel at venues.

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Following Martins' death, match commissioners and host football associations were instructed to inspect and test medical facilities before giving approval for matches to proceed, in an effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.