At least five Nigerians died while watching the semi-final match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Wednesday night in the ongoing African Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Cote D’Ivoire.
The match was tension-soaked even as the Super Eagles defeated the Bafana in penalty shootouts.
According to reports, those who died watching the match included a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC,
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, a corps member serving in Adamawa State, simply identified as Samuel, Deputy Bursar, Kwara State University, Malete, Ayuba Abdullahi, Mikail Osundiji of Olomoore area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.
A 43-year-old man, Mikail Osundiji has reportedly died while watching the AFCON semi-final football match between Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa.
It was gathered that Osundiji went into shock and died on Wednesday evening in Abeokuta, Ogun State while watching the match at a public football viewing centre in the Olomoore area of the state capital.
The father of two reportedly died when the central referee cancelled Nigeria’s second goal against South Africa, by Victor Osimhen.
Relatives said the deceased did not show any sign of sickness before his death.
An elder sister to the deceased, Mrs Adetunji Nofisat, explained that Osundiji suddenly breathed out heavily after the cancellation of Nigeria’s second goal, lowered his head and consequently fell to the ground at the football viewing centre.
“That was when other people at the football viewing centre rushed to him and took him to one of the private hospitals in Olomoore before the doctor on duty pronounced him dead”, the deceased’s sister said.
Nofisat however, disclosed that the remains of the deceased had been buried on Thursday afternoon according to the Islamic rites.
“We cannot take his corpse to his hometown, Okuku in Osun State because he still has a father, mother and two children who are 12 and seven years of age”, she said.
Nofisat appealed to the state governor, Dapo Abiodun to come to the assistance of the family, particularly through scholarships to enable the children left behind to complete their education, up to the university level.
It was also gathered that one Anambra-born businessman, Osondu Nwoye who was based in Cote d’Ivoire, reportedly collapsed inside the stadium and later died in a hospital.
Reports said that Ojougboh, a former Member of the House of Representatives, who represented the Ika Federal Constituency of Delta State slumped in his house in Abuja, while watching the match.
The extreme anxiety that followed the match also claimed the life of Abdullahi, who was at a viewing center in Sango area of Kwara state.
He died during the penalty kick.
A member of the National Youth Service Corps, Samuel also died during the penalty shootout.
The corps member from Kaduna State, allegedly passed away just before the final kick which secured Nigeria’s win in the match.