A final-year student at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, in Abia State, Nwachukwu Omiko, has sadly passed away after collapsing during a football game on the university’s field on Wednesday.
Omiko, who was studying Mechanical Engineering, reportedly collapsed unexpectedly while playing a friendly match with fellow students.
Drivetvnews gathered that immediate efforts by his peers to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. He was promptly taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Umuahia, where medical staff declared him dead on arrival.
In a statement, the university’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Ubadire Agua, expressed the institution’s profound grief over the incident, calling it a “painful loss” despite all attempts made to save the student’s life.
“The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, conveys the university’s heartfelt condolences to Mr. Omiko’s family, as well as to his friends and colleagues in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology,” the statement noted.
The university administration also advised students to prioritize their health by undergoing medical check-ups at the school’s health center upon resumption and to avoid engaging in strenuous physical activities, especially those with known health conditions.
This tragic incident is similar to one reported earlier in January by Drivetvnews, involving Adeyemi Adewale, a football player from Ilesa West Local Government Area, who collapsed during a match in Osogbo, Osun State. He too was rushed to a hospital, where doctors confirmed his death.
