Nasarawa United await autopsy on late defender

The management of Nasarawa United Football Club has approved the conduct of an autopsy on their late defender, Chineme Martins to unravel the exact cause of his sudden death on the pitch on Sunday.

Their decision was contained in a statement signed by Eche Amos, the Media Officer of the club, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Tuesday.

According to Eche, the decision to conduct the autopsy was reached by the management of the club and the immediate family of the late footballer at a meeting held in Lafia on Monday.

“A meeting involving members of Late Martins’ immediate family led by his elder brother, Michael Chineme, the Management of Nasarawa United FC headed by Isaac Danladi, the coaching crew as well as captains of our Club was held.

“Based on the agreement between Martins’ family and Nasarawa United, an autopsy will be conducted to ascertain the remote cause of his death,” Amos said.

Eche added that a befitting burial will be accorded the late Nasarawa United defender and pleaded that the privacy of Martins’ family be respected.

“We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of late Chineme Martins, his team-mates, coaches, loved ones, fans, the football family in Nasarawa State and Nigeria as a whole, and those who are emotionally and psychologically affected by this ugly incident,” Amos said.

Martins slumped on the Lafia Township Stadium pitch on Sunday during a Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture between Nasarawa and Katsina United.

Efforts made to resuscitate him failed and he was rushed to the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) in Lafia where he later died.