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By: Abiodun Adewale.
No fewer than five players and officials of Rivers United have caught the flu after toxic chemicals were reportedly sprayed inside their bus by yet to be identified burglars on Saturday evening in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Ahead of their crucial CAF Confederation Cup second leg quarter-final match against Young Africans of Tanzania today, Rivers United stated that their team bus was burgled with $5,250 stolen and toxic chemicals sprayed inside the bus on Saturday evening.
The incident happened while the team had their final training session at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
According to the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku, some of the players who entered the bus have since been on observation with the medical team.
“We had just finished training, some of the players had moved into the bus before they perceived the smell and rushed out. They started showing symptoms like sneezing and other nauseous feelings but they are being monitored by the medical team,” Mayuku told our correspondent.
CAF General Coordinator, Ali Nwebe (Uganda) and CAF Head of Security, Jamil Bawalaggana Mpagi (Uganda), who were on ground to assess the situation as well as a local security personnel, confirmed that a toxic chemical was sprayed in the bus.
The report of the incident, which was sent to CAF on Saturday night, has also been acknowledged by the continent’s football governing body.
Mayuku also confirmed that the team hired another bus to get them back to their hotel, while CAF and Tanzania FA officials investigated the incident.
Rivers United are seeking to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg, with the crucial game kicking off at 5pm Nigerian time.