The President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, (NBBF), Engr Musa Kida has commiserated with the family and friends of Felix Kimto who was stabbed to death in Abuja by unidentified assailants on Tuesday.
The sad incident which happened right in front of the Package B of the Moshood Abiola Stadium has thrown the basketball community into a round of mourning.
NBBF made this known in a statement to newsmen on Saturday in Lagos, quoting Kida as lamenting the unfortunate incident and describing it as ‘’unpleasant and unfortunate and very difficult to comprehend’’.
“This is a sad one for his immediate family, friends and the entire basketball family in Nigeria. I cannot wrap my mind around this because it is just too shocking to comprehend”.
“This death hit me differently because all basketball players anywhere in Nigeria are my kids. I find it so hard to believe that some men with crooked minds can snuff out the life of another man just in their quest to rob him,” the statement further quoted Kida as saying.
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Kida said he was shocked when the sad news filtered in on Wednesday, as he seized the opportunity to hammer on the need for basketball players to always be security conscious.
He said: “Naturally, most basketball players are tall. Due to the height advantage, many see them as a threat which could have led to the attack on Kimto.
“We should be security conscious as not to fall prey, especially now that sports are gradually being played again with teams, academies, friends coming together to train.
“We should be on the lookout for each other during training, while people should also endeavour to walk in groups which will make it difficult for attacks of this kind.”
The NBBF president expressed the hope that the perpetrators will be brought to book very soon so as to assuage the emotional pains of his loved ones.
Kimto, who played for Delta Force Basketball Club of Asaba, Customs, and many other teams, was stabbed by armed men who attempted to dispossess him of his belongings.
In the course of resisting his assailants, he was stabbed multiple times which led to his untimely demise. His remains have been deposited at the Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital morgue since the incident. (NAN)
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