Ahmed Musa Leaves Super Eagles Camp After Suffering Bereavement, To Join Team In Cameroon For AFCON

Ahmed Musa

Ahmed Musa, the Super Eagles captain, missed the team’s last training session held inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on Wednesday after losing a family member.

The Fatih Karagumruk of Turkey striker was given permission to leave the team’s camp to be with family members following the incident.

The 28-year-old, who is a member of the 2013 Super Eagles squad that won the AFCON for the third time in South Africa under late Stephen Keshi, will now link up with teammates in Cameroon ahead of Nigeria’s first game of the competition against Egypt on January 11.

Meanwhile, another striker of the Super Eagles, Odion Ighalo, may not eventually feature at the tournament following the refusal of his Saudi Arabian club, Al-Shabab, to sanction his release.

A clause in the contract he signed with the club, which indicated that he was no longer active internationally for Nigeria, was now preventing him from participating at the tournament.

Ighalo joined the Saudi club from Manchester United in England after he ran out his contract with the English Premier League side.

He was recalled to the Super Eagles in November after announcing his retirement earlier and being away from the team for over two years.

Emmanuel Dennis of Watford FC and Victor Osimhen of Napoli are two other top strikers that will be missing from the Eagles squad when the tournament begins in Cameroon on January 9. 

While Watford blocked Dennis from participating at the AFCON, Osimhen pulled out after doctors advised him not to rush his comeback from a fatal facial injury he suffered while playing for Napoli in the Italian Serie A.