Tragedy befell the Nigerian football community on Saturday following the death of Poland based player Joshua Tamunobarabonye Pepple , 24, of fifth - tier  club Pomorzanin Nowogard.

After 26 minutes, Tamunobarabonye collapsed on the pitch for the second time during the league match against Iskierka Szczecin-�mierdnica. Attempts to resuscitate him by the physiotherapist and later by paramedics in the ambulance were unsuccessful. At this moment, the cause of death of the Port-Harcourt born player is unknown.

''I have not met him(Joshua Tamunobarabonye Pepple) in person but we got to know through a telephone conversation, and the way he spoke I saw that he was a humble person and a good man.

''His death is shocking, feel deeply sad. I don't know how the family would feel about this painful loss.  I have been communicating with him since then and even called him three days ago. And when we spoke, he never told me he had health problems. We were even joking and laughing on the phone,'' Okere Charles, who played for LKS Spójnia Osiek-Zimnodóa last season, told allnigeriasoccer.com in a telephone conversation on Sunday morning.

Joshua Tamunobarabonye Pepple had played for five years in Poland before his untimely death. Stal Glonwo, Mazovia Grójec, Odra Górzyca, Piast Choszczno, Wybrzeże Rewalskie Rewal,  Sparta Gryfice and Drawa Drawsko Pomorskie were his previous teams.

Photo Credit: futbolowo.pl