CALABAR – The joy of Arsenal FC thrashing Real Madrid FC has taken one Inspector Stephen Enang, a Nigeria Police officer serving in Calabar, Cross River State capital, to the grave.
Converseer reports that Insp. Enang, a strong Arsenal fan, collapsed and died after watching his team thrash Real Madrid, 3 goals to zero, at the Emirates Stadium in London on Tuesday night.
Eyewitnesses said the police officer was overexcited during the match between Arsenal and Madrid, which put the former a step further in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League – the most coveted league in the world.
One of the eyewitnesses, who is a friend of the deceased while speaking under anonymity, said Inspector Enang was watching the match in a public viewing centre at Abang-Asang Street, Etta-Agbor, Calabar, when he slumped and died.
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“Before the match, he was hail and hearty – there were no issues whatsoever that we know of – because he is a very quiet, soft-spoken guy who loves football. He was also a die-hard Arsenal fan.
“He is an Inspector of Police also with Akim Police Division. We were all watching the game, his team scored the first goal, and he was so excited – same with the second and third goals.
“He jumped up all in jubilation; we didn’t know that as he sat back on his chair waiting for the final whistle. Stephen was gone because, after the game, everyone was leaving the viewing centre, but he couldn’t stand up like everyone else.
“That was when we discovered he was no longer conscious. He was rushed to the Police Hospital, Akim, where the health professionals did everything they could to revive him but all their efforts proved abortive, and he was confirmed dead,” the eyewitness narrated.
Converseer further reports that until his death, Inspector Enang was an indigene of Ekori in Yakurr Local Government Area of the state and was attached to the Akim Police Division located along IBB Way in Calabar.
When Converseer contacted the Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo-Obase, on the phone on Wednesday, her line was busy at first but she later called back, confirming the story, saying, “It’s confirmed, it’s true, he is an inspector of police.”
Speaking further, the Police spokesperson said, “He [Insp. Enang] went to watch football at about 9 PM thereabouts last night, so when they scored the first glass – Arsenal scored one, and scored another one, I think the third one, he jumped up and shouted it’s a goal – that’s how he fell back to his seat.
“The people also watching the match with him didn’t even know that it was a heart attack. It was later they saw him, not moving, that was how they rushed him to the clinic, police clinic.
“It was in the police clinic that doctors confirmed him dead.”
Ugbo-Obase said her findings revealed that the officer was not sick before the incident.
She advised officers to always check their health, adding, “The police clinic is there, they don’t collect any money. Go there, check your BP, check yourself all the time. Nobody will do that for you.”
