Chaos rocks Enyimba training as police storm stadium
There was panic and pandemonium at the Enyimba International Stadium on Monday during the club’s training session when police officers stormed the turf and arrested some of the club’s officials.
According to videos circulating online, the players were seen standing instead of having their training session, while some officials were picked up by the police. The club’s Chairman, Kanu Nwankwo, was also filmed leading the players to an office.
According to reports, the arrests were allegedly orchestrated by the club’s Sporting Director, Daniel Eke, who is said to be seeking reprisal following an attack that was carried out against him on Sunday during the club’s defeat to Inter Lagos, according to an Enyimba fans’ media blog.
The People’s Elephant were defeated at home by Inter Lagos, who picked up three massive points with a 1-0 victory. It was Inter Lagos’ first victory of the season, while Enyimba suffered their third consecutive defeat of the campaign.
Enyimba, who are without a win, sit at the bottom of the log as problems deepen both on and off the pitch for the nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League champions.
According to a stadium official interviewed by Punch:
“The chairman was about to address the players when the police officers arrived and they arrested some officials. We don’t know why they arrested them, but the chairman led the players to their office.”
“I believe everyone went home from there because there was no training again on Monday.”
“We have a match on Wednesday and we are not training. If they are not careful, this team will go down.”
According to Punch, the crisis at the club can be traced back to last season, when officials of the Abia State Government appointed Eke as sporting director, despite Kanu having already named former Nigeria international Uche Okechukwu for the same role.
The dispute later extended to the technical bench, with Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu and Commissioner for Sports Nwaobilor Ananaba unveiling Cameroonian coach Emmanuel Deutsch as the club’s head coach, despite Kanu’s appointment of Deji Ayeni.
Ayeni and Okechukwu eventually stepped aside, paving the way for Deutsch and Eke, but the power struggle has resurfaced this season.
It was also gathered that the recent chaos at the club was part of an effort to remove Kanu Nwankwo, who was appointed as the club’s chairman by former Abia State Governor Alex Otti in 2023.
It is believed that the club has been poorly managed under his reign, leading to calls for him to leave. In the first season after his appointment, Enyimba finished third, followed by a sixth-place finish in the 2024/25 season and an 11th-place finish last season.
Enyimba will continue their run in the NPFL when they host Sporting Lagos as the search for their first victory of the season remains club’s priority.
