Heartland FC of Owerri and three other clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) have been charged by the League Management Company (LMC) for various breaches bothering on failure to provide adequate security and unacceptable supporters’ behaviour.
Nasarawa United, Giwa FC, Abia Warriors and the Owerri club were fined a minimum of half a million naira as the “LMC exercised summary jurisdiction after thorough investigation of reported crowd incidences during the matches involving the four sides”.
The chairman of Heartland FC supporters club, Iyke Jacob, was handed a six-match ban for “acts of intimidation and harassment of referees”.
The clubs were issued the statutory 48-hour notice to submit to the decisions of the LMC or indicate in written response a choice to appear before a panel.
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Referee I. Indabawa from Kano and his two assistants from Kwara state, M. Surakat and S. O Toyin, were recommended for investigation by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) referees appointment committee for poor performance in the Abia Warriors v Rangers fixture.
Also recommended for investigation was assistant referee A. Bulus from Abuja for deficiencies in the handling of the Heartland FC v Enyimba match while the centre referee, B. Odey from Abuja was reprimanded and advised to improve performance and control of match proceedings.
James Amadin from Edo state also received a reprimand and caution to improve match management.
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The referees recommended for investigation were also requested to be withdrawn from further handling of matches in the NPFL until after the conclusion of the investigation.
The LMC said they have increased match monitoring to ensure that clubs maintained the decorum that has prevailed all through the season and cautioned that “we cannot allow some fans still steeped in the old order to bring to disrepute the integrity, pleasant match day experiences and increased positive public perception of the league”.
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