Nigerian Football Player Stabbed on His Way to Club Facility, Suspect Arrested
- A Nigerian football player was stabbed by an individual in Alytus on Monday, March 17
- The Lithuanian police have arrested the suspect, but have failed to mention his name pending investigations
- His club has released a statement condemning the act, while urging the authorities not to delay in handling the issue
A promising Nigerian footballer was stabbed in Alytus on Monday, March 17.
The incident occurred while his club was preparing to travel for a league match, and he has since been hospitalised.
Source: Twitter
Club confirms stabbing of player
The football community in Lithuania has been left in shock following the stabbing of Dainava midfielder Chinonso Jeremiah Obi.
In a post on X, the Lithuanian Football Federation linked the attack to a possible racist motive, confirming that the player remains in critical condition.
Dainava were preparing for an away fixture against Tauras Tauragė in the Lithuanian second division when the incident occurred. The statement read:
"While preparing for the trip with Dainava to Taurage for today's match against Tauras in the Lithuanian 2nd division, midfielder Obi Chinonso was stabbed in Alytus."
Police confirm stabbing incident
The Alytus County Police confirmed receiving an emergency call at around 10am after witnesses alerted authorities.
According to local reports, the stabbing took place in broad daylight on Naujoji Street. A pre-trial investigation has been launched to establish the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
Meanwhile, Edgaras Stankevicius, president of the Lithuanian Football Federation, has strongly condemned the act of violence.
He also warned about the damaging impact such incidents could have on the global image of football.
Source: Twitter
Stankevicius insisted that the Federation would not tolerate racism and discrimination in the league. He said via TV3.It:
“What happened in Alytus crosses all boundaries of humanity. The person who was attacked is not only a player, but a young man who came to Lithuania to pursue his career, represent his team and contribute to its success.
“Racism has no place in football or in society. Every player, regardless of nationality, skin colour or origin, must feel safe and be able to do what they do best – inspire fans on the pitch. Football should unite, not divide.”
The young Nigerian is in his second season at Dainava and started in Saturday's match when Dainava made its debut in the Pirma Lyga 2026 with a 3-3 draw against TransINVEST B.
The match between Tauras and Dainava was postponed. The suspect in the attack has been arrested, per Baltic Football News.
Nasarawa United fans stabbed a player
Legit.ng previously reported that a violent incident marred the aftermath of a thrilling Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) encounter on Sunday, April 13, 2025, as Plateau United player, Vincent Temitope, was reportedly stabbed in the neck by irate Nasarawa United fans following a pulsating matchday 13 fixture at the Lafia Township Stadium.
Although the match ended 3-2 in favour of hosts Nasarawa United, Temitope’s impressive individual performance appeared to have provoked a section of the home crowd, who singled him out for attack.
Source: Legit.ng
