VON apologises for erroneous report on Super Falcons’ WAFCON 2024 victory
Voice of Nigeria
The Voice of Nigeria (VON) has issued a formal apology following the publication of a false report that incorrectly announced Nigeria’s loss to Morocco in the final of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
In reality, the Super Falcons staged a dramatic comeback to defeat the Atlas Lionesses 3-2, securing their 10th continental title. However, the erroneous report published on VON’s website prematurely declared Morocco winners with a 2-0 lead at halftime, citing goals by Ghizlane Chebbak and Sanaa Mssoudy.
In a statement on Sunday, VON Director General and CEO, Jibrin Ndace, acknowledged the error and assured the public of ongoing reforms to uphold journalistic standards.
“We take full responsibility for this incident,” Ndace said. “While our internal editorial processes are under review, we are not placing sole blame on any staff member. This underscores the need for robust institutional safeguards.”
Despite ample time to rectify the mistake during the match’s second half — when Nigeria mounted a comeback led by Esther Okoronkwo and Jennifer Echegini — the false report remained live for hours, misleading readers and sparking public criticism.
Okoronkwo’s penalty kick and two assists turned the tide, while Echegini scored the decisive goal in the 88th minute to seal the historic win.
Ndace hinted that the incident may have stemmed from an internal lapse but noted that an investigation is underway to rule out the possibility of a security breach or external interference.
As part of its corrective measures, VON announced the establishment of new editorial structures, including an Investigative Desk, a Fact-Checking Unit, and a Monitoring and Evaluation Team. The agency is also implementing strategic staff redeployments to strengthen accountability and improve editorial performance.
Ndace thanked the public for their patience and constructive feedback, reiterating the organisation’s dedication to ethical journalism.
“We remain committed to becoming a responsive and globally respected media institution,” he added.
