Former Kano Pillars Football Club’s attacking forward, Abdullahi Haruna, is dead.
Haruna slumped and died on Sunday evening at the playing pitch of Gadan-Gaya Primary School in the ancient city of Kano.
The Chairman of Kano Pillars Club, Alhaji Kabiru Beita, who confirmed the tragedy, expressed shock over the sudden demise of the striker, explaining that the tragic incident occurred while he was playing in an informal match with his peers inside the city.
Beita said that typically, footballers from Kano State who are playing in different leagues organize themselves and train to keep fit during their off-season, adding that it was in the course of this training exercise that Haruna died.
He sympathized with the family of the deceased and regretted that the striker would be greatly missed.
The forward was buried at 8am on Monday at Zoo Road/Haussawa Cemetery.
His burial was conducted according to Islamic rite.
The funeral was attended by the former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima; a former Super Eagles player and coach of Lobi Football Club of Makurdi, Dominic Iorfa; Beita; his team mates at Pillars Football Club; as well as sympathizers from a cross section of life.
In his reaction, Galadima expressed shock over the death of the promising striker, saying his death was a big loss to his family, to Kano Pillars Football Club and the football family in the state as a whole.
He said the news was a huge shock, given that he was not sick at the time he slumped and passed on.
While condoling his immediate family for the irreparable loss, the former NFA boss prayed Allah for the repose of his soul of the player, while urging his immediate family and loved ones to see his death as wish of Allah.