Nigeria’s football community was thrown into shock on Thursday following unconfirmed reports of the death of former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.
The news, which circulated widely on social media and some online platforms, claimed that Rufai died in Lagos after a prolonged illness. A Lagos State Government official was cited as the source, though no official statement has been released by his family or the Nigerian Football Federation as of the time of this report.
Born on August 24, 1963, Rufai was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the country’s golden era of football. He was instrumental in helping the Super Eagles win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and played a key role in securing Nigeria’s debut qualification for the FIFA World Cup that same year.
He also featured in goal during Nigeria’s second World Cup outing in France in 1998.
Rufai had an illustrious club career that spanned both local and international teams. He played for Femo Scorpions of Eruwa and Stationery Stores of Lagos, before moving abroad to join AS Dragons in Benin Republic, K.S.C. Lokeren in Belgium, and Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands, among others.
As tributes continue to pour in from fans, colleagues, and sports enthusiasts, the nation awaits formal confirmation of his passing.