The Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) has suspended 18 referees from taking charge of games in the 2019 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). In recent weeks the world football governing body gave 29 Nigerian referees a FIFA license. The NRA suspension of the officials comes as a shock after the recent encouragement as they did not state a reason for the punishment.
The NRA put out a statement that which did not entail details of the offenses of the referees nor their names but that the association will take on a hard stance on unprofessional conducts. The statement also explains that the officials have a duty to uphold the rules of the game and avoid bribery and corruption allegations.
The statement said, “The NRA while recalling that it has recommended for punishment referees found wanting in the course of discharging their duties as about 18 of them in the Premier League list have so far been relaxed for further appointments pending the final determination of their cases, in the NPFL that is in Week 9, the referees’ body strongly adopts a very serious zero tolerance to corruption and bribe-taking in the system and can be proud to state that in the past four years, there has never been an established case of bribe-taking raised against Nigeria referees both at home and international levels.”
Their have several instances of referees beaten in the NPFL this season and in the statement issued by the NRA they have to uphold the laws set by the regulation. “The NRA wishes to state that it is deeply committed to the growth of Nigeria football as it has charged referees to operate within the confines of the LMC laws and regulations by adhering strictly to accommodation and feeding procedures allowed. Referees shall neither be cowed nor distracted by certain unorthodox antics employed by the real enemies of Nigerian football to easily have their way in the system.”
The statement by the NRA comes after reports that officials that handled Yobe Desert stars week nine encounter returned a N1 million bribe they collected.