The Instagram account of Ghanaian referee Daniel Nii Ayi Laryea has reportedly been taken down or disabled following a wave of mass reports from Nigerian users on social media.
The development stems from widespread anger among Nigerian football fans over a controversial yellow card Laryea issued to Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey during Nigeria’s 2-0 semi-final defeat to hosts Morocco in the ongoing AFCON 2025 tournament on January 14, 2026.
The incident occurred in the 33rd minute at Stade Mohammed V in Rabat, when Laryea booked Bassey for an alleged foul on Moroccan attacker Brahim Díaz.
Replays widely shared online appeared to show Díaz pulling Bassey’s shirt in a physical duel, yet the Nigerian centre-back was the one penalized.
The yellow card was particularly costly, as Bassey was already on a prior booking meaning the caution ruled him out of Nigeria’s next match (the third-place playoff, given their semi-final exit).
Nigerian supporters flooded social media platforms, branding the decision as “incompetent,” “biased,” and “disgusting.” Prominent voices, including political commentator JJ Omojuwa, described the refereeing as shocking, with many pointing to the historical football rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana as a factor in perceived unfairness.
Fans accused Laryea of favoring Morocco, noting that the hosts received no yellow cards despite Nigeria committing more fouls (29 to Morocco’s 19) in the match.
Frustration boiled over into coordinated action, with reports on X (formerly Twitter) indicating that angry Nigerians mass-reported Laryea’s Instagram profile, leading to its suspension or removal.
Ghanaian users have since commented on the backlash, with some calling Nigerian reactions “toxic” and “emotional,” while defending the referee and attributing Nigeria’s loss to on-field performance rather than officiating.
The episode highlights the intense passions surrounding AFCON matches, especially involving rival nations and high-stakes decisions.
Neither CAF nor Instagram has issued an official statement on the account status at the time of this report, but the incident has amplified ongoing debates about referee neutrality and accountability in African football.
Laryea, a FIFA-listed official since 2014 and a regular in the Ghana Premier League, had already faced pre-match scrutiny from Nigerians over his appointment to handle the Nigeria-Morocco clash—concerns the NFF had attempted to downplay by affirming the officials’ neutrality.
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