GHANAIAN footballer Dominic Frimpong has died after suspected armed robbers opened fire at the bus carrying his team Berekum Chelsea back from a match.
“Masked men wielding guns and assault rifles” ambushed the bus and “blocked the road” as the team returned home on Sunday, according to the club.
Police say Frimpong sustained gunshot wounds and died while receiving treatment. A manhunt for the suspects is under way.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) expressed its “profound shock and deep sorrow”, describing the 20-year-old as a “promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our league”.
The team was on the road back from a Ghana Premier League game against Samartex in Samreboi – 270km (170 miles) away from Berekum – which they lost 1-0.
“[The men] started shooting at our bus as the driver tried to reverse,” Berekum Chelsea said in a statement on Monday. “The players and staff fled into nearby bushes to take cover.”
According to Ghanaian authorities, the bus had been carrying 30 players and officials when it came under attack by six armed men.
The police said its regional command has “deployed additional personnel and crime scene experts to the area”, and added that “perpetrators will be arrested within the shortest possible time”.
The GFA said it was in contact with the relevant authorities and the club, urging that “all necessary measures” should be taken to ensure justice is served.
In a separate statement, the Ghana Premier League expressed its “unwavering backing” for the team during their “difficult moment”, and called on security agencies to take “urgent steps to safeguard all participating clubs” as they travel for matches across the country.
Sunday’s attack once again highlights longstanding concerns over safety on major roads in Ghana.
In recent years, clubs including FC Savannah, Wa All Stars, Legon Cities and AshantiGold have reportedly experienced similar attacks.
Ghanaian sports journalist Muftawu Abdulai described the mood in the country as one of “shock and disappointment”, noting that fans are increasingly questioning whether it is “safe to travel and play league matches”.
“If the lives of the people or the key architect of the game cannot be protected then it is not worth playing the game,” Abdulai told BBC Sport Africa.
The GFA said it will be reviewing and strengthening security arrangements for clubs travelling for competitions within Ghana to “prevent such tragic occurrences in the future”.
Frimpong had joined Berekum Chelsea on loan from Aduana FC in January.