Sudden Deaths in Nigeria: The Rising ‘Slump and Die’ Syndrome Worrying Experts
The rate at which Nigerians are collapsing and dying without warning has become an alarming development, PulseNets learnt, especially among medical professionals who now describe it as a public health emergency.
Yes, death is a natural end for all mortals. But what unsettles many is not the certainty of death—it is when and how it strikes. Traditionally, sudden deaths were attributed to accidents or prolonged illnesses. Yet, as PulseNets reported, a disturbing wave of people slumping without prior warning has unsettled communities and doctors alike.
A Silent Epidemic
In recent months, there have been frequent reports of Nigerians—seemingly healthy in appearance—slumping and dying, often right after completing normal activities. Many of these incidents happen away from cameras, but when prominent figures collapse, it makes the headlines.
A PulseNets check revealed that numerous slump-and-die cases across rural communities rarely get documented. A farmer in Kaura-Namoda or a pepper seller in Ogbete Market may slump and die without any media mention. But when an ex-governor or a local government chairman suffers the same fate, it dominates the news cycle.
This reality underscores a grim truth—the scourge spares no one.
A String of Tragic Cases
Just on Thursday, August 14, 2025, Chief James Aiyepeku, father of slain photojournalist Ayobami Aiyepeku, slumped and died. Though battling a stroke, family sources told PulseNets that the shock of his son’s brutal murder by his friend and a correctional officer, Oluwapelumi Tolani Adebayo, worsened his condition and triggered his sudden death.
Ayobami’s murder on July 22, 2025, left his father traumatised. The assailant later committed suicide after being declared wanted, while Ayobami’s corpse was later found in a bush path.
Only days earlier, on August 11, the Assistant Coach of Shooting Stars Sports Club, Ibadan, Akin Olowokere, collapsed on the pitch during a training session and was confirmed dead at the hospital. A respected former player with Sunshine Stars of Akure, his death shocked Nigeria’s football community.
On May 13, 2025, Ogun State Television journalist, Bukola Agbakaizu, collapsed while preparing for her shift. NUJ Secretary Bunmi Adigun confirmed in a statement that all attempts to revive her failed, and she was declared dead on arrival at the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta.
On May 7, 2025, Bariga LGA Chairman and ALGON Lagos State Chairman, Kolade Alabi, slumped while addressing APC members at the party secretariat in Ikeja. Unlike many, he survived after quick intervention and was rushed to hospital.
Earlier in April, Lagos hotelier Kunle Akinyele died suddenly during his wife’s 60th birthday thanksgiving service. Video evidence showed him visibly distressed before slumping.
The trend is not new. In February 2024, a corps member serving in Numan, Adamawa State, slumped at a football viewing centre during Nigeria’s AFCON semi-final clash with South Africa. Similarly, former APC chieftain and ex-lawmaker Dr. Cairo Ojougboh collapsed during the same match, reportedly after a massive heart attack.
The year 2024 also claimed music legend Onyeka Onwenu, who reportedly slumped after a birthday performance in Lagos and later died in hospital.
Even top government officials have not been spared. In October 2023, Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, slumped during his Senate screening, though he was revived on the spot.
Experts Raise Alarm
Behind these headlines lies a deeper question: What exactly is driving this wave of sudden deaths?
Medical experts who spoke to PulseNets identified multiple factors—undiagnosed heart conditions, high stress, unchecked hypertension, poor health monitoring, and lifestyle risks like alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse.
Nigerian doctors in diaspora have now raised the alarm, calling on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to urgently provide contingency funding for chronic conditions and medical capacity building.
Dr. Feyitayo Akorede, a US-based neurosurgeon and member of the Coalition of Medical Practitioners in Diaspora, told PulseNets that post-COVID realities have worsened the trend:
“Doctors are concerned about the astronomical numbers of undiagnosed heart conditions, extreme stress, and chronic diseases such as diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular ailments, cancers, arthritis, asthma, kidney disease, COPD, and even substance abuse,” he said.
Dr. Akorede stressed the need for urgent screening and preventive health awareness, warning that without immediate intervention, the epidemic will silently consume more Nigerians.
Similarly, Prof. Tanimola Akande, a public health expert at the University of Ilorin, told PulseNets that individuals with a family history of sudden death are particularly at risk. He advised routine cardiovascular checks, cholesterol monitoring, and at least bi-annual screenings.
Private practitioner Dr. Innocent Okoawo also explained to PulseNets how combinations of hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol form clots that can block vital organs:
“When these clots block vessels in the brain, it causes stroke. When it happens in the heart, it leads to ischemic attacks and eventually, total cardiac failure,” he explained.
Okoawo lamented the widespread denial among Nigerians, where many reject medical diagnoses outright rather than seek treatment.
The Way Forward
Experts agree that only regular medical tests, preventive care, and lifestyle changes can reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac arrests. They also urge employers to mandate pre-employment and periodic health checks to protect their workforce.
“This epidemic cuts across all ages,” Dr. Akorede warned, “from youths to middle-aged Nigerians and the elderly. Without awareness, stress control, and early screening, more lives will be lost to slump-and-die cases.”
For now, the mystery surrounding sudden death remains partly unsolved, but doctors insist it is not fate alone—it is often undetected illness waiting for the wrong moment.
