The League Management Company, LMC, has shown its readiness to stamp out assault on match officials in the league after handing out heavy sanctions to Nasarawa United on Friday.
LMC has sanctioned Nasarawa, one of its players and two backroom staff following unfortunate events at their end of matchday 4 tie in Lafia.
Following disturbances in the match against league leaders Plateau United, the Lafia-based club will now play all their home games in an empty stadium, behind closed doors and will also pay a fine of over N4 million for breaching four of the league rules.
Others who have come under LMC hammer include United player, Paul Komolafe, club Curator, Mohamed Hamzat and media officer, Eche Moses.
Komolafe will serve a one-year ban for breaching two of the league’s rules after he was found guilty of accosting and assaulting match officials while inciting fans at the Lafia stadium.
Hamzat has received a life ban from all NPFL matches and activities for leading the attack on the referees and match officials in the game against Plateau.
For Moses, he was cautioned and fined the sum of N100, 000 for releasing a written statement unfairly criticising the match officials, conduct adjudged to have brought the league to disrepute.
Furthermore, the LMC issued an order of closure of gates to fans for all Nasarawa United home matches sine due but says it can only be considered for review upon Nasarawa complying with the set-out criteria to improve security in the venue and proper fan engagement.
Such review may be done under three conditions to be met by the club and these include; organizing an orientation program for its supporters to be supervised by the LMC and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), providing barricades that will restrict access by unauthorized persons from the stands to the dressing rooms of players and match officials and to liaise with relevant security agencies for the purpose of identifying and prosecuting perpetrators of the acts of violence and disturbances.
The club, player and the two backroom staff have 48 hours to respond in writing, either accepting the decisions or electing to be tried by the NFF Disciplinary Committee.
