Togo team 'should not have taken bus'

Togo's national football team, who were ambushed by gunmen on their way to the African Nations Cup in Angola yesterday, failed to inform local organisers of the competition they were coming by bus.

Virgilio Santos, an official from African Nations Cup local organising committee COCAN, was cited by weekly sports newspaper A Bola today as saying no football team should not have travelled by bus to Angola.

"We asked that all delegations inform us when they would arrive and to provide the passport number of their players. Togo was the only team not to respond and did not inform COCAN it was coming by bus," Santos.

The bus travelling from the Republic of Congo had just entered the Angolan enclave of Cabinda, where separatists have waged a three-decade long war, when it came under heavy gunfire. The driver was killed and nine others were wounded.

"The rules are clear: no team should travel by bus. I don't know what led them to do this. The incident would not have happened in the city."

The Angolan government promised to increase security measures and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said the Jan 10-31 tournament would go ahead despite the attack.