Death scare: Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai responding to treatment

Bruce Rufai, younger brother of former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, said on Tuesday that his brother was now in a stable condition after he suddenly collapsed on Monday evening in Lagos.

Bruce told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on telephone, that the former national goalkeeper was on the verge of being discharged from the hospital.

NAN reports that the former goalkeeper was said to have slumped in his office on Monday evening and was rushed to a hospital in the Surulere area of Lagos, where he was eventually revived.

The cause of the slump is yet to be ascertained, but sources hinted that it may not be unconnected with the recent demise of his mother, whom the former goalkeeper was said to have been very close to.

“He is responding well now, it all happened yesterday night but we are grateful his condition has stabilised, we are thankful for that.

“We don’t know for now the cause of the illness, the doctors are yet to tell us what exactly happened. We are waiting for their reports,’’ Bruce said.

When asked by NAN when the former player would be discharged, he said the doctors were yet to ascertain when he would be discharged.

“The doctor is coming back this afternoon to give the final say; but we don’t know when he would be discharged for now,’’ the brother said.

NAN reports that Rufai was a member of the victorious Super Eagles squad that won the 1994 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Tunisia.

He was a former goalkeeper of the defunct Stationery Stores FC of Lagos that lost in the 1981 final of the then African Champions Cup (now the CAF Champions League) to Union Douala FC of Cameroon.

Peter also had stints in Spain and Holland and also represented Nigeria at the U.S.A. `94 and the France `98 World Cup.