Nigeria Premier League side Katsina United have confirmed the death of their new signing Ozoh Chinedu, who passed away after collapsing during a pre-season friendly match against Niger Tornadoes on Tuesday.

According to a statement by the club’s media directorate on Tuesday, the incident occurred during the pre-season fixture, where the midfielder collapsed and was rushed to K-Dara Specialist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

It noted, “Ozoh reportedly passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, August 11, 2026, after he was rushed to K-Dara Specialist Hospital in Katsina following a medical emergency during a friendly match involving Katsina United and Niger Tornadoes FC at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina.

According to reports, the incident occurred while the two teams were engaged in the pre-season friendly as part of their preparations for the upcoming football season.

“The player was immediately attended to and subsequently rushed to the nearby K-Dara Specialist Hospital for urgent medical attention. However, despite efforts to save his life, Ozoh Chinedu sadly passed away,”  the statement read.

The club described his death as a “major shock” and extended its condolences to his family, friends, and teammates.

Ozoh recently made his move to the club from Kano Pillars FC for the upcoming 2026/ 2027 season.

Details surrounding the cause of his death had yet to be made public as of the time this report was filed.