NFF Urges Media to Verify Information as Fake Report on Ashley Plumptre Spreads

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has again called on media owners, journalists, and members of the public to verify information from social media before sharing it, following the circulation of another fake news story involving the senior women’s national team.

The latest incident involved a false Facebook post claiming that Super Falcons defender Ashley Plumptre was unhappy about her alleged exclusion from Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) scheduled to take place in Morocco from July 25 to August 16.

In response, the NFF Director of Competitions, Ruth David, dismissed the report as completely false, explaining that the player is not on Facebook and that the circulating account is an impersonation page.

She noted that Plumptre had previously clarified in a video that she does not operate a Facebook account and has repeatedly reported impersonation accounts without success. According to her, any information coming from such accounts should be ignored.

David also clarified that no official squad list for the tournament has been released by the national team coach, making the claims about player selection entirely baseless.

She further referenced similar cases of misinformation in the past, including false reports involving Esther Okoronkwo and claims that Asisat Oshoala had retired from international football, both of which were untrue.

The NFF warned that fake news has become increasingly widespread and urged caution in the handling of unverified reports.

“We appeal to well-meaning individuals to double-check whatever news item they see anywhere before sharing it,” the federation stated, stressing that misinformation damages the credibility of media practice.

Reacting personally to the viral post, Plumptre also dismissed the story, describing the accounts behind it as fake and fraudulent.

She said she has been actively reporting impersonation pages and is currently working with contacts in Saudi Arabia to help take them down, adding that the issue has persisted for over a year.

The NFF reiterated its call for responsible reporting as Nigeria prepares for major international competitions.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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