Julius OkorieRelegation hunted Nasarawa United have suffered a huge blow after they were hammered by the Nigeria Premier Football League over the violence that marred their match-day 18 clash with Rivers United.
The League board disciplinary committee did not only impose a fine of N3 million against the bottom-placed Solid Miners, but also deducted three points to compound their woes.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe club was charged for breaching the NPFL Framework and Rules including failure to ensure proper conduct of their team and fans which led to the assault on their visitors.
They were also charged with encroachment onto the pitch and assault on match referee Musibaudeen Ibrahim.
“Three points and three goals shall be deducted from Nasarawa Utd’s accrued points and goals for the assault on centre referee Musibaudeen Ibrahim,” the NPFL said on Monday.
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“Nasarawa Utd will pay a fine of N3 million, being N1 million each for encroachment onto the pitch, failure to ensure proper conduct of their team & supporters & failure to provide adequate & effective security.”
The league body also ruled that the club will play their subsequent home matches behind closed doors when the league resumes on January 25.
“The Lafia City Stadium will be closed indefinitely to fans until security is enhanced and the state box is barricaded with the club directed to give feedback on compliance to #NPFL25 security department.
The story did not end there, as the Lafia based club has also been mandated to “identify and prosecute the individual(s) involved in assaulting the away team with details of their progress submitted to NPFL within seven working days of this notice.
Former Rivers United media officer, Sammy Wejinya, who is now a media aide to the River State Sports Commissioner, Chris Green, who was assaulted during the game had also been banned from all NPFL-related activities until the end of the season for spreading misleading information about the incident.
The NPFL has carried its resolve to have zero tolerance for misconduct into the New Year. The League disciplinary committee dished out series of fines and other punitive measures last season and appears to be ready to continue in that path.
In a chat with Primebusiness.africa recently, Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL, Davidson Owumi, said clubs who play by the rules have nothing to worry about, but warned those who break the rules to be ready to face the music.
“Clubs who play by the rules have nothing to worry about but those who do otherwise will certainly face the music” he said.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
