Togolese attack government withdrew team from Nations Cup

World footballs has jointly condemn the attack on the Togolese national team bus, which have put the African Nations Cup in jeopardy. The machine gun attack on the team bus taking the team to the tournament claimed the life of the bus driver and press officer to the team on the spot, and about four other were injured including two players. The attackers machine-gunned the team bus after it crossed from the Republic of Congo into Angola’s oil rich territory of Cabinda.

Togolese national tean to Nation cup

The bus was travelling to Cabinda from the team training ground in the Republic of Congo when the shooting happened. Football’s highest governing body, Fifa, said it was troubled by the incident. “Fifa and its president, Joseph S Blatter, are deeply moved by the incidents which affected Togo’s national team, to whom they express their utmost sympathy.”

The organisers of the tournament, which starts today, say it will go ahead. Competition officials said they had not known that the Togolese team had decided to drive directly to Cabinda. They said they had expected the squad first to fly to the Angolan capital, Luanda, and from there to Cabinda.

Togolese is due to play its first Nations cup game in Cabinda tomorrow, the team first match is with Ghana which is the opening match of the group on Monday. Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso are the other teams in Group B with the Togolose. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that the tournament would go ahead as planned, despite the attack on Togolese team. Angolan Sports Minister Goncalves Muandumba said security for the competition would be stepped up to guarantee “all the conditions necessary for the success, tranquillity and security of the people and their belongings”.

Meanwhile, Togolese government minister Pascal Bodjona said the team was coming home because the players were in a state of shock. “We cannot in such a dramatic circumstance continue in the Africa Cup of Nations.” The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said late on today that it understood Togolose decision but that the six other matches scheduled to be played in Cabinda would go ahead as planned.