Former Golden Eaglets star, Ibrahim Babangida reportedly died in a road accident along Kaduna/Zaria Road yesterday.
Ibrahim, who was a member of the Nigeria Under 17 squad that won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Japan in 1993, reportedly died instantly in the car crash which also had his elder brother, Tijani Babangida, an Olympic Games gold medallist in 1996 and the President, Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), and his wife on board.
Ibrahim’s former teammate, Emmanuel Babayaro, who is the General Secretary, of PFAN, announced the incident in a statement.
“Comrades! Let us be in prayers for our president, Tijani Babangida, who just had a ghastly motor accident along the Kaduna-Zaria Road,” Babayaro disclosed in a press statement.
“Ibrahim, his younger brother, died on the spot from the accident while Mr President (Babangida) and his family were taken to the hospital.
“May the soul of Ibrahim Babangida Rest In Peace with God, amen,” he added
When reporters reached out to Babayaro, he confirmed the incident.
“Yes, it is true. The accident happened while they were on their way to Zaria from Kaduna,” he said.
The late Ibrahim aged 47 was a member of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning Golden Eagles squad in Japan and featured for local sides Bank of The North, Stationery Stores and Katsina United on the domestic scene before joining Dutch side Volendam in 1997 until 2002.
He never made it to the Super Eagles but was in the infamous ‘ wobbling and fumbling’ squad of Fanny Amu Flying Eagles in the 1995 African Youth Championship which Nigeria hosted and got a bronze medal.
