The English Football Association have vowed to do everything in their power to ensure the safety of the Premier League players at the African Nations Cup in Angola following the terrorist attack on the Togo team bus. Togo today decided to pull out of the tournament as the death toll from the attack reportedly rose to three.
Togo government spokesperson Pascal Bodjona told reporters: “We can’t continue in these dramatic circumstances in the African Nations Cup. It was necessary because our players are in shock.”
The bus came under machine gunfire yesterday just after it had crossed the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Angolan enclave of Cabinda.
It was confirmed last night the bus driver was killed, while reports today claimed an assistant coach and a press officer also died from their injuries.
There was confusion surrounding the condition of reserve team goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale. It had been widely reported in the French media that he had died, but his French club, GSI Pontivy, and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou, who was with him on the bus, said he had been taken to South Africa for treatment.
The English FA have been in touch with officials from FIFA and the African Football Confederation (CAF).
Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo captain, was also on board, while a host of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, have players competing at the tournament.
An FA statement read: “Following the terrible events involving the Togo national football team in Angola yesterday, the FA has been in continual contact with all of the English clubs who have African Nations Cup players.
“We are also working closely with and being helpfully supported by the Premier League and League Managers Association.
“The FA has also been in regular contact with FIFA to obtain as much information and guidance as possible. This has involved conversations with FIFA’s General Secretary. We have also spoken to the Deputy General Secretary of CAF. The FA will maintain frequent contact with both organisations.
“All of English football would like to offer our sincere condolences to everyone connected with the Togo squad, especially to the families of those who have been tragically killed or have been injured.
“We will do all we can to ensure the welfare and safety of all Premier League players in Angola representing their countries.”
City revealed in a statement on their official website, www.mcfc.co.uk, Adebayor and his team-mates held a meeting this morning before deciding that they wished to pull out of the tournament.
It added: “It has been made clear by manager Roberto Mancini and senior officials that Emmanuel will now be given as much time as he needs to recover from the horrific attack.”
Togo are expected to officially pull out of the tournament as soon as they can confirm their withdrawal with CAF, but are currently in Cabinda at their team base.
Salifou today spoke of the horror of seeing Obilale shot in the chest and said the goalkeeper is now fighting for his life in a South African hospital.
“It was only 15 minutes after we crossed into Angola that the coach came under heavy fire from rebels,” he said on Villa’s official website, www.avfc.co.uk.
“The driver of the coach was shot almost immediately and died instantly, so we were just stopped on the road with nowhere to go.
“Our security people saved us. They were in two separate cars, about 10 of them in total and they returned fire. The shooting lasted for half an hour and I
could hear the bullets whistling past me. It was like a movie.
“I know I am really lucky. I was in the back of the coach with Emmanuel Adebayor and one of the goalkeepers.
“A defender who was sat in front of me took two shots in the back. The goalkeeper, Obilale, one of my best friends, was shot in the chest and stomach area and he has been flown to South Africa to undergo an operation to save his life.”
Serge Akakpo, who players his club football in Romania, was confirmed by his club yesterday as the second player shot.
Midfielder Alaixys Romao claimed the Togo players were encouraging other teams to pull out of the competition.
“We’re also talking to the other teams in our group to try to convince them to boycott the competition too,” the Grenoble player told L’Equipe.
Togo were due to play their first game of the tournament against Ghana on Monday, while Ivory Coast and Burkino Faso are also in their group.
Udinese confirmed in a statement they had asked Ghana Football Association and Fifa for the return of their midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah, who is with the Ghana squad.
Togo coach Hubert Velud claimed this morning on French radio station RMC the authorities should seriously consider whether to call off the whole tournament, although Angola insist their country is committed to hosting a secure competition and said they would step up security.
The separatist group The Front for the Liberation of Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), who were reported to have claimed responsibility for the attack, have denied they carried it out.