Osimhen-Lookman Row: NFF dismisses ruckus in Nigeria camp
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has moved to dismiss reports of internal unrest within the Super Eagles camp following an on-field confrontation between star forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman. In an official statement released by Team Administrator Dayo Enebi Achor, the federation addressed the “dark innuendoes” of a rift that emerged following Nigeria’s 4–0 victory over Mozambique on Monday night—a result that secured the team’s place in the quarter-finals of the 35th AFCON in Morocco. The NFF clarified that the tense exchange, which occurred just before a corner kick, was a momentary passion that has since been fully settled behind the scenes.
Addressing the media to provide clarity, Achor emphasized that the team remains united as they prepare for the next stage of the tournament. He described the incident as a minor disagreement between “two brothers” that was resolved within hours of the final whistle. “There is no problem whatsoever in our camp. Whatever people saw as a crisis was easily resolved a couple of hours later. All is good and we are presently at training,” Achor confirmed. The federation is keen to shift the narrative back to the team’s dominant performance, which saw Osimhen net a brace and Lookman provide three assists.
In addition to the Osimhen-Lookman incident, the NFF also cleared the air regarding rumors that striker Jerome Akor Adams had abandoned the camp after scoring his first-ever AFCON goal. Achor explained that Adams was granted official permission for a very brief personal matter involving his family. “He took permission to go and see his mother who was hospitalized here in Fès, and returned in less than an hour,” the administrator noted, debunking claims that the player’s absence was related to any team friction or lack of commitment.
Ademola Lookman has since echoed the federation’s stance, downplaying the heated exchange with Osimhen during his post-match media duties. Despite being the target of Osimhen’s visible frustration during the 63rd minute of the match, the Atalanta winger insisted that their relationship remains intact and that such moments are simply part of the game’s intensity. “I haven’t talked to Victor since the game, but what matters is that we won,” Lookman said. He further described Osimhen as a “top player” and a “brother,” reinforcing that there is no lingering animosity between the two key attackers.
With the distractions addressed, the Super Eagles are now shifting their full attention to their upcoming quarter-final clash in Marrakech. The team’s leadership has urged fans and the media to ignore the “conjectures of various complexions” and instead focus on the objective of bringing home a fourth AFCON title. As the squad departs for the next phase of the competition, the message from the camp is one of solidarity, with both players and officials stressing that the ultimate goal remains the priority over any individual disagreements
