Tragedy struck in Calabar on Tuesday evening when Police Inspector Stephen Enang collapsed and died after watching Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Real Madrid.
Enang, from Ekori in Yakurr Local Government Area, was attached to the Akim Police Division in Calabar.
Eyewitnesses reported that the deceased, a passionate Arsenal fan, was visibly excited during the match.
One close friend, who asked to remain anonymous, recalled the shocking moment of his collapse.
“We were watching the match at a viewing centre on Abang-Asang Street. He was in great spirits—healthy, happy, cheering every goal. Arsenal scored the first, second, and third goals, and he was overjoyed,” the witness said.
“He jumped up in excitement multiple times. But after the final whistle, when everyone started leaving, we noticed Stephen wasn’t getting up like the rest of us. That’s when we realized something was wrong.”
According to the eyewitness, Enang had slumped in his seat and was unresponsive. He was immediately rushed to the Police Hospital in Akim, where medical personnel made frantic efforts to revive him, but he was pronounced dead.
“He was soft-spoken, football-loving, and an ardent Arsenal supporter. This came as a huge shock to all of us,” the friend added.
At the time of publication, attempts to contact Cross River State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo, for an official statement were unsuccessful. Calls went unanswered, and messages were not returned.
