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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Sports

Monkeys: Super Falcons suffer racist abuse ahead of WAFCON title defence in Morocco

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • Nigeria's Super Falcons women's football team has faced racist abuse on social media, with players targeted by monkey and primate emojis ahead of the WAFCON tournament in Morocco.
  • The abuse followed allegations by player Esther Okoronkwo that cash was stolen from players' rooms at their hotel in Casablanca.
  • A suspect has reportedly been arrested in connection with the hotel theft, and full restitution is expected, though the racist abuse continues.

Nigeria's Super Falcons have been subjected to racist abuse on social media, with players targeted by monkey emojis and primate images ahead of their title defense at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco. The online attacks intensified following allegations of theft from the team's hotel rooms in Casablanca.

Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo claimed on Snapchat that approximately $700 was stolen from her room, with teammates Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala, Halimatu Ayinde, and Joy Omewa also reporting missing cash. In response, numerous social media accounts, reportedly belonging to Moroccan users, flooded Okoronkwo's Instagram page with abusive comments featuring monkey emojis and gorilla images, widely recognized as racist tropes used to dehumanize Black individuals.

Despite the racist attacks, there has been progress in the theft investigation. Nigerian journalist Colin Udoh reported that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the hotel heist and has confessed. Udoh stated that full restitution will be made to the players while legal proceedings take their course. This incident echoes a previous case where Super Falcons forward Rinsola Babajide experienced similar racist abuse after commenting on a Confederation of African Football decision that favored Morocco over Senegal for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations hosting rights.

I have been informed that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the theft at the Super Falcons’ Marriott Hotel in Casablanca and has confessed. Full restitution will be made to the players while the law takes its course.

— Colin UdohThe Nigerian journalist provided an update on the investigation into the alleged theft from the Super Falcons' hotel.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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