ENYIMBA TRAINING DISRUPTED AS POWER STRUGGLE INTENSIFIES AFTER THIRD STRAIGHT DEFEAT. (PHOTO).

 Enyimba training disrupted as power struggle intensifies after third straight defeat

The internal power struggle at nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League champions Enyimba deepened on Monday when sporting director Daniel Eke, accompanied by officers of the Nigerian Police Force, disrupted the club’s training session following a home defeat to Inter Lagos.

Inter Lagos claimed their first league win of the season on Sunday, edging Enyimba 1-0 at the Enyimba Stadium. Ezekiel Moses scored the decisive goal in the 18th minute, rising to meet a pinpoint cross with a header.

The result left Enyimba without a point after three matches at the start of the 2026/27 season and marked their third consecutive defeat amid ongoing problems both on and off the pitch.

When the squad returned to training on Monday, the session was cut short after Eke allegedly arrived with officers from the Abia State Police Command’s Rapid Response Squad. Some club officials were taken away. Videos and photographs from the scene showed players and staff in confusion. Club chairman Nwankwo Kanu was filmed leading the players to the RRS office.

“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,” an Enyimba Stadium official told reporters. “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.”

An Enyimba fan and media blog, The Enyimba Fan, reported that Eke’s action was a reprisal after he was allegedly attacked by some stadium officials on Sunday. “Enyimba’s Sporting Director, Daniel Eke, arrives at Enyimba training with RRS officials, disrupts training, and whisks away the Stadium Manager and some of his staff. Apparently, Mr. Daniel was celebrating yesterday after Enyimba dropped points, and these folks fought with him outside the gate. So he’s got officers to arrest him and have them in detention,” the blog stated on X.

The crisis dates back to last season. Eke was appointed sporting director by Abia State Government officials even though Kanu had named former Nigeria international Uche Okechukwu to the role. Tension also spread to the technical bench when Deputy Governor Ikechukwu Emetu and Commissioner for Sports Nwaobilor Ananaba unveiled Cameroonian coach Emmanuel Deutsch, despite Kanu’s appointment of Deji Ayeni. Ayeni and Okechukwu later stepped aside for Deutsch and Eke, but the power struggle has resurfaced this season.

A source close to the club said the latest incident forms part of efforts to remove Kanu, who was appointed chairman by Abia State Governor Alex Otti in 2023. “This is like a war between someone who is almost untouchable and grassroots politicians; Kanu was appointed by the governor. In fact, the governor wanted Kanu to be the commissioner, but he opted for the role of chairman of Enyimba,” the source said. “Since this commissioner came, business is not usual. They used to pester him to share monies and all of that, but he is nonchalant and doesn’t yield to their calls or anyone’s call. He sees himself as too big to get involved in such things, and these are grassroots politicians he is dealing with.

“They have thugs on the streets. That was how they walked out the coach the last time when they stormed the stadium. But they can’t do the same to Kanu, and they have been trying to get him out since the governor wasn’t around. It is going to get worse because Kanu is not interested in fighting back. He believes his name is enough and, with elections coming close, they are using the grassroots to pressure the governor to withdraw his support for Kanu. That is the game they are playing. If they cannot remove Kanu now, they won’t be able to do it again.”

Since Kanu’s appointment, Enyimba’s league form has declined. The club finished third in his first season, sixth in 2024/25, and 11th last term.

Enyimba host Sporting Lagos on Wednesday as they seek their first points of the season and a way out of the bottom of the table.