NFF breaks silence on Victor Boniface’s exit rumour

By Olaolu Joseph

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has responded to a post by Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface, who recently announced on Instagram that he was quitting the national team—a post he later deleted.

The 24-year-old striker made the announcement shortly after Nigeria held Russia to a 1-1 draw in an international friendly match played in Moscow a week ago. In that game, Boniface struggled to make an impact and was substituted at halftime.

Although he later deleted the post, he has yet to issue any clarification, leaving his future with the national team uncertain.

The development prompted a reaction from a top NFF official, who stated that the federation would respect the player’s decision if he chooses to leave.

“We can’t force a player to play for his national team. If he eventually decides to quit and informs us officially, nobody will stop him. It’s his decision, and we have to respect it,” the official said.

When asked if Boniface might have posted the message jokingly and later deleted it for that reason, the NFF official responded:

“You don’t joke with sensitive issues like that, especially right after playing poorly in a match. That is unacceptable, and the sooner we start holding players accountable for their actions, the better it will be for the team.”

“This is the senior national team of Nigeria, for God’s sake,” he concluded.