Tijjani Babangida, wife hospitalised as road accident claims brother’s life

Tijjani Babangida, a former Super Eagles player, has been hospitalised after he was involved in a car crash on the Kaduna-Zaria highway on Thursday.

A statement by Emmanuel Babayaro, general secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria(PFAN), said Babangida was travelling with Ibrahim, his younger brother, alongside his wife, his son, and his maid when the incident happened.

The statement said Ibrahim died immediately after the accident while the remaining passengers were rushed to the hospital.

Babayaro said Ibrahim will be buried after the Jummat service on Friday.

He added that Tijjani is “conscious” and other victims of the accidents are “recuperating”.

Tijjani Babangida is the president of PFAN and was a member of the Nigeria U-23 team that won the gold medal in football at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

He had a decade spell with the Super Eagles, where he became famous for his speed down the wings.

Ibrahim was also a former footballer who was a member of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning Golden Eaglet squad in Japan.

He played for Bank of The North, Stationery Stores and Katsina United in Nigeria before joining Eredivisie side Volendam in 1997.