A Nigerian footballer, Abubakar Lawal, has died in Uganda after falling from a shopping mall balcony in Kampala.

The Ugandan police has, however, opened investigation to unravel the cause of the death of the 29-year-old striker who played for local premiership club, Vipers, which he joined in July 2022 from AS Kigali in Rwanda.

According to a police statement, Lawal fell from the third floor of Voicemall Shopping Arcade early on Monday when he visited a Tanzanian friend living in a residential apartment in the mall.

“Authorities are retrieving CCTV footage and conducting thorough interrogations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident,” police said.

The Vipers Sports Club said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden and untimely passing of our beloved player, Abubakar Lawal, who left us this morning.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Lawal’s family, club fans, friends and loved ones during this difficult time,” it added.

ASA