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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Adamawa State died during the penalty shootouts of the match between Nigeria and South Africa of Wednesday evening.
The corps member, identified only as Samuel, from Kaduna State, died just before the last kick that ensured Nigeria’s victory in the match.
A witness, who gave an account of the incident in a social media post, said: “We lost one Nigerian during our victory celebration over South Africa at our sports viewing center here in Numan.
“The corps member who is serving in Numan from Kaduna State fainted before the kick of the winning goal.
“He died before they could reach the hospital in Numan. May his soul rest in peace.”
The NYSC Coordinator in Adamawa State, Jingi Dennis, said he was awaiting details of the incident.
The coordinator, in a terse statement on Thursday morning, said: ”I received the news of the corps member’s death last night. I hope to have more details today.
“According to his colleagues who went with him to watch the match, the late corps member told the people around him that he did not like watching penalty shootout. He then bowed his head and all of a sudden, he collapsed.
”He was confirmed dead at the General Hospital in Numan by the doctor.”
Also, the deputy bursar of Kwara State University, Malete, Ayuba Abdullahi, died while watching the semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa in the ongoing AFCON on Wednesday night.
Abdullahi was reportedly watching the game at a sports centre in Sango area of Ilorin before he started feeling uneasy.
“The Deputy Bursar watched the Nigeria/South Africa match from the beginning till the end of the extra time, till it was time for a penalty kick.
“He complained that he was feeling dizzy, so he said he needed to go back home and rest not knowing that his BP had gone up.
“On getting home, he collapsed and was rushed to a private hospital in Sango and he was referred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and before he could be attended to, he died.
“He was buried on Thursday morning according to Islamic rites,” a source said.
A statement by the university read: “This is to announce the death of Mr. Ayuba Olaitan Abdullahi of the Bursary Department.
“Janazah will be held this morning, and his remains will be interred at the Hausa Muslim cemetery, Apata Yakuba, Oyun area, Ilorin, at 9am.”
In the same vein, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Ika Federal Constituency of Delta State, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, is dead.
The politician, who was a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was said to have passed away on Wednesday evening while watching the semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa.
“Cairo Ojougboh, a medical doctor died during the Nigeria vs.South Africa match.
“The incident happened when the penalty was awarded against Nigeria. Dr Ojougboh was said to have shouted and slumped due to massive heart attack when SA scored,” a source said.
The Publicity Secretary of Agbor Community Union, Mr Augustine Ekamagule, confirmed Ojougboh:s death.
“According to the President General of the Agbor Community Union, Chief Laurence Onyeche, Ojougboh died in Abuja while watching the football match of Nigeria vs South Africa.
“He said a member of Ojougboh family called him around 3am. on Thursday, informing him that Cairo Ojougboh had passed away.
“The family member said Ojougboh was watching the match and immediately South Africa scored the goal, he shouted and slumped.
“All efforts to revive him were not fruitful. It was around that 3am. the family announced his death,” he said.
Onyeche said with the death of Ojougboh, Agbor has lost a voice in Nigerian politics, describing him as the number one politician in Agbor until his death.
“On behalf of the PG and members of Agbor Community Union where the Ojougboh belongs, we sympathise with the family.
“Our PG has asked me to issue a statement and he described Ojougboh as a fearless politician who did not only establish himself at the local level but at the national level,” he added.
Friends and political associates including President Bola Tinubu and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, have been mourning the late politician on social media.