Ex-Nigerian U-23 Star, Ogbonna, Escapes Death in Gaza Conflict

Former Nigeria Under-23 striker, Ibezito Ogbonna, has revealed that he is lucky to be alive after his apartment in the Israeli city of Ashdod was hit by a rocket fired from Gaza last week.

The 38-year-old who won the Israeli Cup with Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2006 and 2007, was at home with his wife and two young daughters when the building suffered a direct hit.

His family were unhurt, but Ogbonna was injured and taken to hospital following injuries sustained during the explosion that was part of a recent 11-day escalation in violence between Israel and Palestine.

“I am extremely lucky to be alive after this rocket was fired and it’s third time lucky for me after being involved in a car crash and a horrible robbery incident in Nigeria,” Ogbonna told BBC Sport Africa yesterday.

“We were all aware of the attempt (possible strike) and we always get the warning signs about possible missiles. We often hear as 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 own 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 dinning room to my living room.

“I could see glasses and other objects flying around me. I hit the ground, I stood up to look around for my family. They were very lucky, my wife had taken cover with my daughters, I think one of the doors landed on her.

“I could see the whole building was gone. We are talking about a four-storey building with about 30 people. The security doors between my kitchen and living room ripped out and everything totally wrecked.

“Cars were smashed and it was then I realised 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.”

Despite not making a senior international appearance for Nigeria he was part of the Nigeria’s under-23 squad for Olympic qualifying in 2006 but failed to make the team for the 2008 Games in Beijing.

His chance to play in Europe came after stints with Nigerian clubs Enugu Rangers, Nigerdock and Sharks led to a move to Israel in 2003.

He starred for Hapoel Tel Aviv in their 2-1 home win in the first leg of their UEFA Cup tie against Scottish powerhouse Rangers in 2007, they eventually lost the tie 5-2 on aggregate after a 4-0 defeat in Scotland.

Despite a colourful career that took him to Romania, South Africa, Albania, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia and spells on the sidelines with injuries, nothing had prepared the burly forward for the shocking event of 17 May.

The Israeli top flight has been the launch pad for several notable Nigerian footballers like Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Maccabi Haifa), Blessing Kaku (Hapoel Be’er-Sheva) and Vincent Enyeama (Bnei Yehuda, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv).