An Abuja-based woman, Chioma Oniniwu, has publicly withdrawn allegations of rape previously made against Singapore-based Nigerian footballer, Victor Ebele Jnr, stating that her claims were false.
In a video released on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, Oniniwu apologised to Ebele and his family for the emotional distress and reputational damage caused by her earlier statements on social media.
In the video, she stated that the footballer did not rape her and appealed to online media platforms and blogs that published the initial allegations to remove their reports.
The development followed her arrest by security operatives on August 26, 2026, after investigations reportedly began into allegations of cyberbullying, defamation and making false reports.
Oniniwu was subsequently arraigned before a court in Abuja and was remanded in custody pending the fulfilment of her bail conditions.
The controversy began in September 2025 when Oniniwu made allegations against Ebele on X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming that the footballer had sexually assaulted her.
She also accused officers at the Gwarinpa Police Division in Abuja of failing to properly investigate the matter and alleged that members of the footballer’s family had intimidated her.
However, electronic chat records later released by Ebele were said to indicate that the two had been involved in a consensual relationship.
The records reportedly suggested that the dispute between them was connected to financial issues and claims relating to a pregnancy.
With Oniniwu now publicly retracting her earlier allegations, the case has taken a significant turn. Her apology and retraction have also prompted renewed calls for online platforms and media organisations that published the initial claims to update or remove reports that presented the allegations as established facts.
The matter remains subject to any ongoing legal proceedings, while the public retraction represents the latest major development in the dispute between Oniniwu and the footballer.
