and that life continues after all and that we share their sorrow and suffering . `` We completely understand what happened . The players wanted to stay but the government for their reasons did n't want the Togolese to stay so they left . `` CAF did everything possible to make sure that the Togo team stayed here for the Africa Cup of Nations . We acted and they left . `` Contrary to whatever you are saying they did n't get disqualified . They are the ones who decided to leave which we consented to . There is a difference . `` We would have wished them to stay . We would have wished them stay . We have done everything to possible so that Togo stays . `` They could n't stay . The players wanted to stay but the political authorities did n't want the delegation to stay . '' Group B has now been reduced to three teams : Ghana , Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso . Angolan authorities have arrested two people involved in the attack , state media reported , while goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale remains in a stable condition in a South African hospital
African football federation president Issa Hayatou has exclusively told CNN that Togo were not disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations but were granted permission to leave . The Togo squad flew back home from Angola on January 9 after three of their travelling party were killed and two players seriously injured by a machine-gun attack which occurred as their bus crossed the border into the northern , oil-rich state of Cabinda two days earlier . It had initially been first thought that Togo had been disqualified after they failed to show for their first group game against Ghana on Monday . But Confederation of African Football -LRB- CAF -RRB- president Hayatou has since confirmed to CNN that they had not been expelled from the tournament but were granted special dispensation . `` Togo was n't disqualified - I want to tell you that Togo was n't disqualified . Togo left the competition following the tragic events that the delegation went through , '' Hayatou told CNN . `` Because of what happened the Togolese delegation did n't have the morale or the conscience for them to participate in the tournament . `` We tried to convince them to stay