Nigeria youth international, Douglas Uzama, has been killed by suspected cultist in Benin City, Edo State.
The young energetic defender met his untimely death on Thursday while observing the Christmas holiday.
Uzama was part of the victorious Golden Eaglets squad that won the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile and also played for the Flying Eagles during their ill-fated attempt to qualify for next year’s Africa Youth Championship.
Last season he represented newly promoted Nigeria Professional Football League side Gombe United, where he was part of the defence line that helped the team gain promotion.
“He was still on break in Benin City and was yet to resume for the new season,” a close source told AfricanFootball.
“He went out with friends when some cult boys carried out an attack against them. He was shot and that was it. The killers fled and left my friend in cold blood.”
A top official at Gombe United said the club was shocked by the death of the player.
“The Gombe United family has learned with sadness of the untimely death of our defender Uzama Douglas,” he said.
“This is a sad loss to Uzama’s family, Gombe United and the nation.”
The murder of Uzama is the second tragedy to hit the domestic football scene in the last two months after Shooting Stars central defender, Izu Joseph, was shot dead.
Joseph was killed by men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Ahoada, Rivers State on October 16 during a raid on what military authorities called “cultist shrine”.
