NIDCOM: Abubakar Lawal’s death in Uganda is suspicious… we’ll ensure thorough investigation

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) says the death of Abubakar Lawal, a Nigerian footballer in Uganda, is “suspicious”. 

In a tweet on Tuesday, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NIDCOM chairperson, said the commission will ensure a thorough investigation into the footballer’s death.

On Monday, Lawal was confirmed dead after allegedly falling from the third-floor balcony of a shopping mall in Uganda.

The 29-year-old was a striker for Viper SC, a club in the top flight of Ugandan football.

According to Uganda Police Force, Lawal “arrived at the shopping mall in his vehicle, registration number UBQ 695G”, and he was meeting “his friend, Omary Naima, a Tanzanian national residing in room 416 since February 20, 2024”.

Naima claimed that she had left Lawal in the room preparing tea while she went to a game centre in the mall. Afterwards, the footballer allegedly fell from the third floor to his death.

Ugandan authorities said CCTV clips from the shopping mall have been retrieved, and interrogations are being conducted to ascertain the incident’s circumstances.

Reacting to the report, Dabiri-Erewa demanded “no cover-up” from the local authorities, adding that the investigation into the matter is transparent. 

Lawal moved to Uganda in 2022 to join Vipers SC from Rwanda’s AS Kigali.

The striker had played in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) with Kano Pillars FC, Wikki Tourists FC, and FC Nasarawa before moving to the continent.