Katsina United's Chinedu Ozor in ICU after collapse during match

Katsina United player Chinedu Ozor is in the intensive care unit of Katsina General Hospital. He was first declared dead after collapsing during a pre-season match on Tuesday, according to The PUNCH.

Ozor slumped during the match against Niger Tornadoes at the Gusau/Ahlan Pre-season Cup in Katsina. He was quickly taken to a nearby hospital, where a doctor pronounced him dead.

However, after the club took his body to Katsina General Hospital, medical staff noticed some movement. They then moved him back to the intensive care unit for further treatment.

Katsina United's media officer, Nasir Gide, confirmed this new information to The PUNCH.

“When we rushed him to a nearby hospital, he was confirmed dead by a doctor. We collected a police report and took him back to Katsina General Hospital where he was also said to be dead. They took his body to the morgue there,” Gide said.

“Later, the medical personnel informed us that he has been taken back to the ICU from the morgue when they noticed movement in his body.”

This news came after Katsina United had announced Ozor’s death, which led to condolence messages from his former club, Kano Pillars, and other teams.

Another former club, Heartland, also shared the news on X. They said Ozor had been moved from the morgue to the hospital after showing signs of movement.

“Reliable sources say Chinedu Ozor has been moved from the mortuary to the hospital after reportedly showing signs of movement. He is currently on oxygen as medics work to revive him,” Heartland posted.

“Ozor, we believe in the God of a second chance. May God restore.”

A player from Niger Tornadoes, who played against Ozor in the same match, also spoke about the situation. He expressed hope that Ozor would recover.

“It was heartbreaking. We are hoping for a miracle,” he told our correspondent via WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, Barau FC, one of the clubs in the tournament, has pulled out of the competition. They accused the organizers of continuing the tournament despite the serious incident.

This incident has raised fresh concerns about medical readiness at football venues in Nigeria. It happened exactly one year after Shooting Stars assistant coach Akin Olowokere collapsed and died during a training session on August 11, 2025. Olowokere was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

One of the most well-known cases involving an NPFL player was in March 2020. Nasarawa United defender Chineme Martins, 23, died after collapsing during a league match against Katsina United.

After Martins' death, the Nigeria Football Federation ordered that league venues must have the necessary medical equipment and personnel before matches could start. Match commissioners and host football associations were also told to check medical facilities before matches.