Obilale has been in hospital in South Africa since he was airlifted there after the fatal machine-gun attack on the Togo team as they travelled to the African Nations Cup.

The 25-year-old, who was initially reported as dead by his team-mates, has been given the green light to return to France and the Kerpape rehabilitation centre, but Angolan officials are refusing to pay the 65,000 euro repatriation costs for the Pontivy goalkeeper.

However, club president Philippe Le Mestre has revealed that the FFF have stepped in to help the stricken Obilale.

He said: "I've had a phone call from Jean-Pierre Escalettes, the FFF president, who told me that the Federation had agreed to to take charge of our footballer's repatriation."

Earlier, Obilale issued a plea for help returning home, admitting that his continued stay in South Africa is crushing his spirit.

"I don't have any morale left," Obilale told French radio station RTL. "It's been a month and a half now that I've been in bed here. My life is to turn left or turn right.

"I'm scared of getting worse because what I'm experiencing at night is horrible, I see the soldiers, I'm going to war as I'm going to the Cup. Every night I experience this in my sleep.

"And there's no-one here that's giving me any news. The great desire is to go back home.

"The Angolans tell me they are waiting for the word from the doctors but every day I see the doctor who operated on me and he says it's okay.

"The big problem is that they can't pay the repatriation costs. It's that that's breaking my morale."

Obilale added: "People from the Angolan government came here with flowers but I don't know what I'm meant to do with them. I have no house to put them in.

"I just want to go home. To be next to my children and those closest to me, that's all I'm asking for.

"They shot at me, now today they can't repatriate me. That's why I'm making this appeal so that people can help me leave this hospital bed."

Obilale's partner and sister are by his bedside thanks to Manchester City striker and Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor, who financed their trip.

Le Mestre also slammed the Angolan government, adding that as organisers they "promised to pay for everything but nothing is forthcoming".

Togo are currently embroiled in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against their ban from the next two editions of the African Nations Cup.

They were banned by the Confederation of African Football following their withdrawal from this year's tournament in the wake of the attack on their team bus.

An assistant coach and the team's press officer - plus a driver - were killed.