The Federal Government has condemned the cyberbullying attacks targeted at Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi in the aftermath of their loss to Ivory Coast in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Fulham midfielder deleted photos from his Instagram page hours after the defeat for fear of cyber abuse.
Sen. John Owan Enoh, the Minister of Sports Development, said in a visual post on his official X handle that the ministry is concerned about how Nigerian sportsmen and women are treated over the outcome of the competition.
“You don’t deserve the attacks; you have been here for over 30 days because of your love for your country. You could have said no.
“I have watched your matches in the tournament; you did your best for Nigeria, so there is nothing that anybody is saying that will make you feel otherwise. I am proud of you, and I believe the rest of the country is.
“Those who are not are just the faceless minority and do not speak for our country; for your heroics shown at AFCON, the President is ready to receive you.”
Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has appealed to Nigerians to stop bullying his teammate Alex Iwobi on social media.
In a post on X on Monday night, Musa said the team lost the final match against hosts Cote d’Ivoire, noting that it is unfair to single out Iwobi for blame.
He wrote, “Dear fans, I want to please urge you to halt the cyberbullying directed towards Alex Iwobi.
“Cyberbullying is not just a violation of decency but also a serious crime. It’s hypocritical to claim that football unites us while engaging in such behavior.
“Losing a game is undoubtedly tough, but targeting a single player for the team’s shortcomings is unfair and unjust.
“We win as a team, and we lose as a team. Alex gave his all on the field, just like every member of our squad.
“Instead of spreading negativity, let’s show genuine love and support to our players. They need our encouragement now more than ever.
“Let’s uplift each other and stand united, both in victory and defeat. THANKS”
