<p class="">Martins was pronounced dead at the hospital he was rushed to in Lafia.</p>
<h1>It was a dark matchday in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) following the death of Nasarawa United defender Chineme Martins who passed after slumping during a game against Katsina United at the Lafia Township Stadium on Sunday, March 8, 2019.</h1>
<p class="">Martins it has been confirmed slumped in the second half with Nasarawa United leading 2-0. They went on to win 3-0. </p>
<p class="">Efforts were made to resuscitate the player not helped by the old Ambulance that failed to start and needed five persons to push it according to several reports. </p>
<p class="">The defender was rushed to the Dalhatu- Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia where he was pronounced dead. </p>
<p class="">“<em>We lost a player today against @fckatsinaunited A great professional and a gentleman</em>,” Nasarawa United confirmed on <strong>Twitter</strong>. </p>
<figure class="embedded_application" align="center"> <figcaption>Martins</figcaption> </figure>
<p class="">The <strong>League Management Company</strong> (LMC) organisers of the NPFL also confirmed the death of the defender.</p>
<p class="">“<em>The League Management Company (LMC) has confirmed the report of the death of Chineme Martins, a defender with Nasarawa United FC, who slumped during the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Matchday 23 against Katsina United in Lafia,</em>” the LMC said in a statement on their website. </p>
<p class="">The LMC in their statement also called for a standard autopsy to establish the cause of the player’s death.</p>
<p class="">“It is hoped that the findings of the autopsy would inform subsequent measures if any that has not been addressed by the existing standard procedure”, the LMC said. </p>
<p class="">Several clips shared on Twitter have Martins teammates in tears as they mourn the shocking death of the defender</p>