- Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen confirmed that a fan in the stands attempted to distract him using a laser light during Nigeria’s 4–1 World Cup qualifying victory against Gabon in Morocco, where Osimhen scored a brace.
- He stated he saw the person responsible and believed the tactic was used because the opposition understood the high quality of the Nigerian team, but he chose to ignore it and focus on the game.
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen confirmed he was deliberately targeted by a laser light during Nigeria’s dominant 4–1 victory over Gabon in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying semi-final playoff on Thursday. Osimhen scored twice in the match held in Morocco, with teammates Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke adding the other goals.
The laser light was clearly visible on Osimhen’s face immediately after he scored Nigeria’s third goal.
Speaking about the incident after the game, the Galatasaray attacker stated he saw the individual attempting to distract him:
“I actually saw the person pointing the laser at me; the person was in the stands,” Osimhen told ESPN UK.
The striker suggested the act was an attempt to interfere with the Super Eagles’ performance:
“They know the kind of quality we possess. They are trying to use the laser to distract us. I just keep it moving, I don’t even think about it.”
In other news…. A US economist, Scott Bolshevik, has sparked controversy after mocking a Nigerian man for openly celebrating his newly acquired Canadian citizenship on social media.
The Nigerian man, using the handle @josh0491, had shared photos and an emotional caption to express his joy upon becoming a Canadian citizen:
“I dreamt it, prayed for it, worked towards it when I didn’t even know how I’d get there. But here I am today, living it, and it feels so normal. #CertifiedCanadian”
Scott Bolshevik found the celebration “amusing” and used his own X handle to comment on the post, questioning the intensity of the celebration and the living conditions in Nigeria:
“No group celebrates Western citizenship like Nigerians. They make a spectacle of it and you’d think escaping home is the dream. Is Nigeria really that unlivable?”
The exchange has ignited a debate about the “Japa” trend (emigration) among Nigerians and the perception of the country’s unlivability on the global stage.
