Nigeria’s former under-23 striker Ibezito Ogbonna narrowly escaped death after his apartment in Isreal was hit by a rocket from Gaza.
The 38-year-old whose house in Ashdod, Isreal was destroyed was immediately rushed to the hospital after the incident with few injuries he sustained.
He was at the hospital for a few hours before he was discharged afterward.
Ogbonna told BBC Sports Africa that residents of the area usually receive warning signs each time an attack is about to be launched but he was unable to rush into the shelter in the house before the rocket exploded.
“I am extremely lucky to be alive after this rocket was fired and it’s my third time lucky for me after being involved in a car crash and a horrible robbery incident in Nigeria.
“We were all aware of the attempt and we always get the warning signs about possible missiles. We often hear sirens echoed across the city streets which tends to prompt people to rush to a shelter.
“On this day I was having breakfast and I heard the wailing siren. Normally, we’d run to the shelter because every house has its shelter. I felt it’s the normal warning, but within seconds it turned out to be an unlucky day for me.
“I heard the loud bang of the rocket and felt the immediate impact, I was thrown into the air and it took me from my dining room to my living room.
“I could see the whole building was gone. We are talking about a four-story building with about 30 people. The security doors between my kitchen and living room ripped out and everything wrecked.
“Cars were smashed and it was then I realized I had a cut and my knee was hurting badly before the paramedics took me in an ambulance to the hospital.
“I was in the hospital for a few hours. I was treated and had different tests just to check that everything was okay with me. They weren’t sure I was fine considering what had happened.” Ogbonna told BBC Sport Africa.
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