In sad news, as many as five people are reported to have died while watching the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Nigeria and South Africa.
On Wednesday, Bafana and Nigeria battled it out for a spot in the AFCON final, and the fixture lived up to expectations after being met with intense fanfare prior to kick-off.
Read: Bad omen for AFCON finalists 'emerges'
The Super Eagles went on to claim a 4-2 win on penalties after the two teams played out to a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
However, per various reports in Nigeria, several deaths devastatingly occurred during the game.
According to the Daily Post, no less than five people died during the intense tie, including prominent politicians and businessmen such as Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Ayuba Abdullahi, Mikail Osundiji, Osondu Nwoye, and a person known only as Samuel.
One of them, businessman Nwoye, is said to have slumped to the ground in the stadium and later passed away in hospital, while politician Ojougboh collapsed at his home while watching the game.
The others are said to have lost their lives while the penalty shootout was taking place.
A consultant cardiologist at the Federal Medical Centre in Nigeria, Dr Salau Ibrahim, has since cited several potential complications that could have led to these tragic events.
"The major causes of such sudden deaths are stroke or heart attack. Regular check-ups and lifestyle modification are crucial," he told Nigeria's Leadership newspaper.
"If you have any background comorbidity like hypertension or diabetes, ensure you take your medications regularly."
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On Thursday night, the Super Eagles squad reportedly had a minute's silence after dinner for those lives that were sadly lost.
During the course of our semi-final match, we tragically lost few supporters. In a cruel twist of fate, their fervent passion for the beautiful game unwittingly led them to their final moments
— ???? Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) February 8, 2024
As the Nigeria vs South Africa match unfolded, they were lost in the thrill of the… pic.twitter.com/3ITEUtza3v
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