Pretoria - Nigeria have formally complained to world football governing body FIFA death threats sent to midfielder Sani Kaita after he was sent off on Thursday in World Cup Group B match that his team lost 2-1 to Greece.?

Kaita told the German Press Agency dpa he had received the threats via email. Team spokesman Idah Peterside said the Nigeria Football Federaton (NFF) have sent an official complaint to FIFA about them.

"He has received over 1,000 threats to his email, so we are not taking this lightly," said Peterside.

"We have therefore notified FIFA and have also spoken to the Nigerian minister of sports on the situation."

Peterside said the country's top officials were appalled by the situation.

"This is just a young man on national service who is trying to do his best. For people to threaten his life is shocking and disappointing," he said.

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