Date: 2018-04-24

The Management of Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC in Ilorin on Monday said it had concluded plans to help raise money for the victims of the recent robbery attack in Offa via a charity football match.

The team’s Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka, disclosed this in Ilorin in an interview with the newsmen.

He said ABS management had informed the management of Offa United FC that it would play it in a friendly match "which proceeds from the gate takings and other free will donations will go to the victims of the Offa robbery attack".

Chukwuemeka said the match would also be used in bringing Offa people together again after the robbery incident and bring the ancient city back to life again. He said: "Football is one of the most unifying sports in the world today.

"We want to use this friendly to bring Offa town and people together again. "That’s why we are playing in Offa.

"We urge Offa residents to come out en masse to watch this game and pay for it because the gate takings and other donations will go to the victims.

"We at ABS commiserate with the people of Offa who lost their loved ones in the incident and we pray for quick recovery for those recuperating in the hospital. "We have a lot of fans in Offa and this is the time to show that we care about them.

"If we had started the Nigeria National League before now, we would have taken one of our games there to raise money for the victims.

"But since we have not started, we will do that with a friendly match." The match, according to Chukwuemeka, is scheduled for April 24 by 3pm at the Offa Township Stadium.

The match is being organised in conjunction with OFFA Descendants Union.