Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi was held at knifepoint and robbed at his London home in an armed burglary that cost him valuables estimated at £500,000, in an incident that could affect his availability for Nigeria’s upcoming international fixtures.
Reports indicate the attackers broke into Iwobi’s home undetected before confronting the Fulham star and restraining him at knifepoint. With the player incapacitated, the gang ransacked the property, taking designer wristwatches, jewellery, two iPhones, a MacBook laptop, and approximately £200,000 in cash stored in a safe. The robbers fled after taking everything of value.
Iwobi reportedly freed himself after the attackers left and immediately alerted authorities. Initial reports indicate that neither the footballer nor anyone else in the household sustained physical injuries during the incident. Police have launched an investigation.
The robbery is the latest in a pattern of high-value knifepoint attacks on prominent figures in London. The United Kingdom has seen a 14 percent increase in robberies involving knives or sharp instruments in recent years, with London recording 169 such offences per 100,000 people, a figure approaching pre-pandemic highs driven in part by organised gangs targeting luxury watches and valuables.
The incident could potentially affect Iwobi’s participation in Nigeria’s upcoming friendly tournament in Turkey, where the Super Eagles are scheduled to face Iran and Jordan. He featured for Fulham last weekend in their 3-1 Premier League win over Burnley, appearing in 25 matches this season and contributing four goals and three assists as the Cottagers push for a European qualification spot with seven league games remaining.
Iwobi, who has earned 96 caps for Nigeria, has represented the Super Eagles at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and was part of the squad at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
