A player with Ghana Premier League side Berekum Chelsea has died after being shot in the head during an armed robbery attack on the club’s team bus.
This has turned the nation’s football community into mourning and raised urgent new questions about player safety on the road.
The attack occurred on Sunday, April 12, at Ahyiresu along the Goaso–Bibiani road, as the team was returning from a league match against FC Samartex 1996 in Samreboi, which they lost 1–0.
According to club officials, armed men blocked the road and opened fire on the bus, forcing players and staff to flee into nearby bushes for cover.
In an earlier statement, the club recounted the harrowing ordeal: “On our way back to Berekum from Samreboi, our team bus was attacked by a group of armed robbers who blocked the road to prevent our passage. Masked men wielding guns and assault rifles started shooting at our bus as the driver tried to reverse. The players and staff fled into nearby bushes to take cover.”
The club initially reported that one player had sustained serious injuries and was being stabilised for transfer to a better-equipped medical facility.
However, the player, later identified as Dominic Frimpong, a midfielder on loan from Aduana FC, succumbed to his wounds at Bibiani Government Hospital. He had reportedly been shot in the head.
Frimpong, a promising young talent, had made 13 league appearances for Berekum Chelsea this season and scored two goals.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) expressed profound shock, calling the death a devastating loss to the club and the entire football fraternity.
“The Ghana Football Association has received with profound shock and deep sorrow the tragic news of the passing of Dominic Frimpong of Berekum Chelsea Football Club,” the GFA said in a statement.
“Dominic Frimpong reportedly lost his life following an armed robbery attack on the team while the club was returning from a Ghana Premier League fixture. The incident has sent shockwaves across the entire football fraternity.”
The GFA extended condolences to Frimpong’s family, teammates, and club officials, adding: “This tragic incident is not only a huge loss to Berekum Chelsea but also to Ghana football as a whole. Dominic was a promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our league.”
The Association said it remains in constant contact with both the club and the Ghana Police Service, who have launched a manhunt for the attackers.
The GFA also indicated it would engage key stakeholders to review and strengthen security protocols for clubs travelling for domestic competitions.
The incident has reignited public concern over the vulnerability of football teams on Ghana’s highways, especially in areas prone to armed robbery, with growing calls for enhanced security measures during league travel.
