Following Ghana’s defeat to Cape Verde at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), reports surfaced of an alleged attempt by a Black Stars supporter to assault the then-coach, Chris Hughton.
According to the information, the fan was reportedly apprehended by Ivorian police for trying to assault Chris Hughton at the team’s hotel after the 2-1 loss to Cape Verde on Sunday, January 14, 2023.
In the aftermath of Ghana’s disappointing performance in the international competition, two reputable journalists who were present in Ivory Coast for the tournament have shed more light on the incident.
Saddick Adams from Angel Broadcasting Network, reporting based on alleged information, claims that the individuals attempting to attack Chris Hughton are members of the security team of Kurt Okraku, the president of the Ghana Football Association.
Obama, as he is known, stated on Peace FM that if it weren’t for the swift intervention of some individuals present, the assailant would have physically confronted Chris Hughton.
“Kurt Okraku’s security, who is like a brother to me, is the one who did it. My biggest worry is that journalists were prevented from entering the Black Stars hotel. Ghana and Nigeria were in the same hotel but Nigeria opened its doors to us and allowed us to interact with and interview them.
“Our players were hoarded like bars of soap during coup time. It was that night that we heard that two members of Kurt Okraku’s security team were at the hotel’s lobby, hoping to attack Chris Hughton. But for the timely intervention of some person, he would have punched Kurt Okraku. They were arrested and handcuffed,” he said.
On Thursday, January 25, 2024, a day prior to Saddick Adams’ appearance on Peace FM, Collin Atta Poku identified the two individuals involved in the attack.
He asserted that one of the individuals was named Faisal, serving as the personal bodyguard for Kurt Okraku, and the other was Fatawu Mohammed, an assistant to Kurt Okraku and the owner of Avenor Stars, a football club in Accra.
Atta Poku alleges that these individuals are regularly seen in the company of Kurt Okraku and are consistent members of his team.