- Safiu Kehinde
A young Senegalese footballer, Cheikh Toure, has been gruesomely murdered by kidnappers who abducted and held him captive after being lured with a fake trial offer.
The 18-year-old goalkeeper was reportedly found dead in Ghana.
This was confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Senegalese Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs.
Cheikh was reportedly killed by his abductors following his family’s failure to meet the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.
Prior to his tragic death, the teenager had trained at the Esprit Foot Yeumbeul.
According to reports, he was kidnapped after being tricked by the group of armed extortionists, who made him believe he was attending a trial to join a professional club.
The scam led to Cheikh being held hostage by his captors, who then demanded a ransom from his family in exchange for his release.
Meanwhile, the Senegalese authorities have opened an investigation into Cheikh’s kidnapping and death in collaboration with the Ghanaian police.
The joint task force hopes to shed light on the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
Cheikh’s body is currently in the process of being repatriated to Senegal, French Football Weekly reported.