Ahmed Musa, the Super Eagles captain, has advised supporters to stop harassing his teammate Alex Iwobi on social media.
In a post on X (previously Twitter) on Monday night, Musa stated that the team lost the final match against hosts Ivory Coast on Sunday, and that it is wrong to single out Iwobi for assaults.
“Dear fans, I want to please urge you to halt the cyber-bullying directed towards Alex Iwobi,” Musa wrote. “Cyber bullying 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.”
Dear fans, I want to please urge you to halt the cyber-bullying directed towards Alex Iwobi. Cyber bullying 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… pic.twitter.com/prxydU5Jfb
— Ahmed Musa (MON) (OON) (@Ahmedmusa718) February 12, 2024
Iwobi erased images from his Instagram feed after Nigeria lost to Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
The hosts overcame the Nigerian squad 2-1, putting an end to their hopes of winning a fourth continental title.
Hours after the interaction, Iwobi, who has faced harsh criticism from fans, erased images from his Instagram account for fear of cyber bullying.
He just shared one video post. The Fulham guy also locked the post’s comment area to prevent bullying.
Iwobi played for 79 minutes in Nigeria’s defeat to Ivory Coast before being substituted by Alhassan Yusuf.
Before the previous development, a similar one occurred following the Super Eagles’ elimination from the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. Iwobi and teammate Maduka Okoye were also widely attacked after the squad lost to Tunisia in a round of 16 match, causing them to delete comments on their social media accounts.
