JUST IN: HEARTLAND FC RETURN TO OWERRI AFTER GHASTLY ACCIDENT

Players and staff of the former NPFL side, Heartland FC are on their way to Owerri, the Imo State capital, after a serious accident that disrupted their journey to Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, for the Ifeanyi Ekwueme TICO/SELECT Pre-season Tournament on Friday.

The club, in a statement on Friday, said the accident occurred at Umunna, near Okigwe, Imo State, and that there were no fatalities.

Some players and officials who sustained varying degrees of injury received first-aid treatment at a nearby facility and will continue their treatment in the state capital, according to the club’s spokesperson, Tunde Liadi.

“We will release another statement on the incident as soon as I receive further instructions. Right now, we are on our way to Owerri. We had three buses on the journey, and one of them was involved in the accident. We have managed to use the other two buses to convey everyone to Owerri.

“Heartland FC’s vehicle was involved in an accident en route to Abakaliki for the Ifeanyi Ekwueme TICO/SELECT Pre-season Tournament,” the club said in their initial statement.

“The accident happened at Umunna, near Okigwe, still within Imo State. Although no one was killed, some players and officials sustained injuries and have been taken to the hospital,” Liadi told our correspondent.

According to the statement, the club’s vehicle, which was heavily damaged, collided with a stationary vehicle left beside the road while trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle. The stationary vehicle had reportedly been involved in another accident.

Heartland were relegated to the Nigeria National League for the third time in their history after losing 4-1 to Remo Stars during an NPFL match-day 36 game in Ikenne in June. They returned to the second tier just one season after being promoted to the top flight.

Ex-international and FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning coach Emmanuel Amuneke was recently unveiled as the new coach of the club ahead of the 2024/25 season.