The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has spoken out strongly against racist abuse directed at Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo by some Moroccan social media users.
The NFF’s statement followed reports of a theft at the Super Falcons’ Marriott Hotel in Casablanca, where a suspect was arrested for stealing cash from the team. According to the federation, the stolen money was recovered in full and the individual responsible was sentenced to six months in prison.
Despite the matter being resolved, Okoronkwo subsequently became the target of racist abuse and offensive emojis on social media — behaviour the NFF roundly condemned.
“The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) strongly condemns the unacceptable racist abuse directed at Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo on social media following recent incidents at the team’s hotel in Morocco.
“The racist abuse and emojis directed at our player make absolutely no sense, especially as the individual responsible for the theft was apprehended, made to return the stolen cash in full, and sentenced to six months in prison.”
The NFF reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the safety and dignity of its players, insisting the team remained firmly focused on its sporting objectives.
“The safety, dignity, and well-being of our players remain our utmost priority. The entire team stands united, unbothered by distractions, and fully focused on tomorrow’s #WAFCON2026 opener against Malawi.”
The Super Falcons begin the defence of their WAFCON title against debutants Malawi at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat on Tuesday at 9pm.