The Management of the Nigeria National League has placed a one-year ban on Jigawa Golden Stars Player, Mohammed Alim for apparently pushing the ball into the net with both hands during a match between Jigawa Golden Stars and Sporting Supreme FC in Dutse on Saturday.
Chairman of the NNL, George Aluo, stated in an interview on Sunday that the two referees who were involved in the game, Zaharadeen Nasiru (Katsina State) and his assistant, Usman Auwalu (Borno State), were expelled by the Refereeing Development Unit of the Nigeria Football Federation. A viral video of the embarrassing moment showed a cross into Sporting Supremes’ box being handballed twice, with an initial attempt by the player to score with both hands foiled, before it was eventually turned home courtesy of the hands of another player. The home side celebrated the goal as the referee, who was close by, pointed to the center circle.
Aluo also said “The Jigawa player shirted No. 9 (Mohammed Alim), who seemed to be playing volleyball, had a one-year ban placed on him for bringing the game to disrepute, while Jigawa Golden Stars has been slammed with a One million naira fine for not providing adequate security.
The Referees’ Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation also reacted to the incident on Sunday with the expulsion of the two erring officials. In a statement signed by Mohammed Ameenu, on behalf of the NFF Referees’ Committee chairman and addressed to Nasiru and Auwalu, read “In view of the serious nature of the decisions taken in your week 17 match involving Jigawa Golden Stars FC and Sporting Supreme FC played in Dutse, wherein your actions brought refereeing and the game in Nigeria into disrepute, I am directed to notify you that you have been expelled with immediate effect from the league and refereeing generally.”
The League Body also took decisions in another match involving Ijebu United and Osun United, which ended 1-0 in favour of the home team in Ijebu-Ode, among other erring officials who made controversial decisions recently.
A viral video outside the main bowl of the Dipo Dina Stadium showed players in a brawl with suspected hoodlums, leaving some of the players hospitalized. “We have also requested that the referees’ authority delist Henry Akwara from Imo State, the man that handled Warri Wolves vs Ikorodu United last weekend, alongside the one that refereed Sokoto United vs Kebbi, Calabar Rovers vs Ekiti United and Ijebu United vs Osun United.
The Chairman concluded “These are bad eggs, and we don’t want to see them handle NNL games for the rest of the season. We don’t want anyone to mess up our efforts to sanitize the league.
