Our player, Chinedu Ozor, is dead -Katsina United – Daily Trust

Katsina United have vehemently rejected reports suggesting that newly signed player Chinedu Ozor regained consciousness after being declared dead and taken to a mortuary.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) club said Ozor died following a medical emergency during a pre-season friendly against Niger Tornadoes at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium in Katsina on Tuesday, August 11.

Ozor, who had previously played for Kano Pillars, collapsed during the fixture and was immediately attended to before being taken to K-Dara Specialist Hospital for urgent medical treatment. Unfortunately, despite efforts to save him, the player died.

His death came shortly after he joined Katsina United and was preparing for the new season, leaving teammates, coaches, officials and supporters in mourning.

Confusion arose later on Tuesday after online reports emerged that Ozor had shown signs of movement after being taken to a mortuary.

The reports claimed he was subsequently returned to hospital and placed on oxygen while medical personnel attempted to revive him.

The extraordinary reports quickly circulated, prompting speculations that Ozor may have been declared dead prematurely.

Katsina United, however, categorically denied the claim in a statement issued through its media directorate.

“Chinedu Ozor passed away following the incident. Claims suggesting that he later regained consciousness or ‘came back to life’ are inaccurate and should be dismissed,” the club said.

The club explained that Ozor’s family, devastated by the initial news, requested additional medical confirmation before his body was taken to the morgue.

Katsina United stressed that the request was not evidence that Ozor had shown signs of life.

“They were a family desperately hoping that somehow, against all odds, their loved one was still with them. That moment of hope must not be turned into a story that Chinedu survived,” Katsina United said in its longer statement issued yesterday.

The club added: “He did not regain consciousness. He passed away.”

Katsina United appealed to media outlets, bloggers and members of the public to stop circulating reports of Ozor’s alleged revival, warning that such claims could further distress his family and those mourning him.

“We understand that people desperately wanted this to be true. We all did. But sadly, those reports are not true,” the club said.