AFCON 2025: Report Alleges Osimhen Threatened Tournament's Exit, Ex-Buhari's Aide Reacts
- Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad has opposed Victor Osimhen’s reported decision to quit the Super Eagles’ squad in Morocco
- Osimhen's angry outburst at teammate Ademola Lookman leads to booing from some Nigerian fans during the victory over Mozambique
- Nigeria’s Super Eagles are aiming to lift their fourth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy as the nations gather in Morocco
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering football and sports in Nigeria and Africa.
Fes, Morocco - A former presidential aide to late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has asserted that 'unity and spirit are needed' for the current Super Eagles squad to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) ongoing in Morocco.
Legit.ng recalls that the Super Eagles defeated Mozambique 4-0 in the second round of AFCON 2025 on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
Osimhen's alleged threat elicits APC stalwart's reaction
Victor Osimhen scored a brace, and another two goals from Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams sent Nigeria into the quarter-final of the competition. However, a nasty episode occurred during the impressive performance.
In the second half, Osimhen lost his head at Lookman for reasons yet to be identified. Teammates were required to calm the situation.
Still boiling, the Galatasaray striker signalled to the bench to be subbed off and was obliged. He was hooked, and Moses Simon was brought in.
Reacting to an Arise News report that the Galatasaray star dropped his accreditation and threatened to quit Nigeria’s AFCON squad, Ahmad urged Osimhen to remain with the team and continue fighting alongside his teammates.
Ahmad, a stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), wrote on his verified X (formerly Twitter) page on Tuesday, January 6:
"This is very bad coming from Osimhen, who is widely seen as the leader of the team and a key figure in maintaining the form, unity and spirit needed for the squad to win the tournament."
Source: Getty Images
Fans boo Victor Osimhen
Nigerian football fans at the Stade Foot Fès in Morocco criticised Osimhen following his angry outburst at teammate Lookman during Nigeria’s 4–0 victory over Mozambique in the AFCON round of 16 on Monday, January 5.
Osimhen was later substituted for Moses Simon and was booed by sections of the crowd as he left the pitch.
Nigeria clarifies Osimhen-Lookman 'row'
Meanwhile, according to Super Eagles' media officer Promise Efoghe, the primary reasons and aftermath of the on-field row between Osimhen and Lookman during the game against Mozambique have been addressed internally.
Legit.ng reports that the Super Eagles will hold a recovery session today, Tuesday, January 6, in Fes.
26 players are expected to train, while injured defender Ryan Alebiosu continues his rehabilitation.
Expert slams Osimhen over discipline
Hassan Ruth Odunayo, a sportcaster, criticised Osimhen’s conduct, describing it as unnecessary and detrimental to team harmony.
The expert urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to sanction the former Napoli man, to set a standard for discipline in the national team.
Odunayo told Legit.ng:
“Osimhen is a good player. You can't take that from him. He's a good player, and he knows his onions, but his temperament is terrible.
"I think that the problem we have in this country, amongst all other things, is lack of discipline in everything that we do. And we should have made an example out of him to say that, at the very least, he will not play the next match. If we are going to lose, let us lose. But there must be discipline."
She added:
"Look, if the guy had quarrelled with the player only (Lookman), I would excuse him if they had had an argument. I will excuse that. The opponents were the ones who were begging him. Then he called, out of annoyance, he called to be changed, and at full-time, walked straight down the tunnel, in the full gear of everybody. It's an insult to this nation; it is an insult to the Nigerian fans. And I think that if he doesn't make a public apology, he should not be featured going forward. Nobody is bigger than this country. There have been players before him, and there will be players after him."
Read more on Super Eagles of Nigeria:
- Nigeria’s all-time scorers’ list as Victor Osimhen closes in on Rashidi Yekini's record
- “Thank you, Eric Chelle”: Fans react as Super Eagles beat Benin Republic 4–0 in 2026 WCQ
Ayodele speaks on Lookman prophecy
Legit.ng earlier reported that Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele, founder and spiritual head of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, claimed that his prophecy on the performance of the Super Eagles and some of its star players at the ongoing AFCON is being misrepresented and misinterpreted.
This is coming after the cleric came under heavy criticism for ‘predicting’ that Lookman would be disappointing at the AFCON 2025. However, so far, Lookman has seemed to prove Primate Ayodele wrong with his decisive goals for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
