Romelu Lukaku accuses ‘certain people’ in Congo of extortion over father’s funeral dispute

Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku has made explosive allegations of ‘extortion’ against individuals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following complications surrounding the burial of his late father, Roger Lukaku.

Roger, a former Zaire international who spent much of his career in Belgium, died in Kinshasa on September 28 at the age of 58.

His sons, Romelu and Jordan Lukaku, had intended to repatriate his body to Belgium for a private family funeral but claim they were obstructed by certain individuals in the DRC.

In an emotional message posted on Instagram, the Belgium international said efforts to return their father’s remains to Europe were thwarted by people seeking to exploit the family’s grief.

“As you may know we planned to have the funeral this Friday but because of certain decisions being made in Kinshasa, the funeral will take place over there,” Lukaku wrote.

“Our dad passed away on the 28 of September and we as Brothers tried everything to bring his corpse back to Europe but we felt that we were being extorted by some people… It breaks our soul for us to not put our father to rest. But some people didn’t want it.”

Lukaku’s statement has drawn widespread sympathy from fans and the global football community, with many expressing outrage over the alleged mistreatment of the striker’s family during a period of mourning.

Roger Lukaku, once a forward for the Congolese national team, later built his football career in Belgium, where his sons were born and began their professional journeys.

The funeral is now expected to take place in Kinshasa, though the Lukaku family has yet to confirm final arrangements.

The 32-year-old striker concluded his message with a poignant reflection: “We understand now why our dad used to keep us away from a lot of people.”