The Nigeria Football Federation in conjunction with the leadership of the Nigeria Referees Association(NRA) have summoned a whopping fifty-four erring referees to appear before disciplinary committee on Tuesday May 19th to explain their ignoble role and performing below expected standard.
The breakdown of the officials revealed that 28 of those involved officiate in the Nigeria Professional Football League while the second tier league Nigeria National League has 20 referees listed as offenders
The remaining 7 are from the Women’s League.
Some of the referees invited included Jelili Ogunmuyiwa(La) who will explain what transpired in the match between Warri Wolves and Kano Pillars.
Bashir Salihu(Kn) will answer questions pertaining to the match between Adamawa United and Enyimba in Kaduna.
Sharif Rabi’u Inuwa (Ahlan), Chairman of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Referee Appointment Committee, has earlier warned that any referee found wanting or performing below standard in all competitive matches across the nation would be severely sanctioned.
Inuwa told Blueprint sports that no one will be spared, as he plans to produce outstanding Nigerian referees in accordance to international practice, so as to compete with their counterparts across the world.
“I have said this on several occasions that the standard we had set for Nigerian referee is uncompromised as no referee found wanting will go scot free.”
“We will definitely take decisive action against any referee who performs below the standard we have set for them,” Inuwa said.
“I don’t care whether a referee is from Bayelsa, Kano, Ondo or Taraba, if you fail to live up to expectation, the committee under my watch will take necessary punitive action against you,” he said emphatically.
