‘They said it won't happen again’ — Wike says Super Eagles’ sins forgiven after Yobo's message

• Nyesom Wike says Joseph Yobo informed him that the Super Eagles apologised for missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

• According to Wike, the players promised the mistake would not happen again.

• The comments follow Wike's earlier criticism, where he said Nigerians were unhappy with the team's failure to qualify.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says the Super Eagles have been forgiven for missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after former captain Joseph Yobo relayed an apology on the team's behalf.

Wike disclosed the update while speaking at the commissioning of the Collector Roads 01 and 02, linking Mabushi Bus Terminal to Ahmadu Bello Way in Abuja.

"I want to announce to this audience that Yobo told me yesterday that he has communicated our message to the Super Eagles, and they have told him that this would be the last time such a mistake would occur," Wike said.

The minister also used the event to acknowledge former internationals Joseph Yobo and Emmanuel Babayaro, describing them as players who made the country proud during their careers.

The update follows Wike's blunt remarks days earlier, when he publicly criticised the Super Eagles for failing to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup, despite Nigeria boasting more than 13 players competing in top leagues across the world.

At the time, Wike had pointed out that Nigeria sat above several qualified nations in FIFA's world rankings, and questioned how teams he had "never heard of before" had made it to the tournament while Nigeria stayed home.

He had directly instructed Yobo to pass on the message that Nigerians were unhappy with the team's performance, refusing to join others in publicly celebrating the players despite their individual achievements abroad.

Nigeria's absence marks back-to-back World Cup misses, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, despite a squad featuring players such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Alex Iwobi.

There has been no independent statement yet from the Nigeria Football Federation or any current Super Eagles player confirming the apology Wike referenced, with the update so far relying solely on his account of the conversation with Yobo.

Reactions to Wike's latest comments have continued to play out online, with many football followers split between amusement at the minister's framing and lingering frustration over the team's failure to qualify for football's biggest stage.

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