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CASE 1: SMART CITY FC V. GATEWAY UNITED FC
In the matter between Smart City FC Vs. Gateway United FC in the match played between Gateway United FC Vs. Smart City FC. The Committee Rules as follows:
FINDINGS:
1. The Committee found as a fact that the security provided by the Ogun State Football Association was inadequate and ineffective and this led to serious security breach at the match venue.
2. That there was encroachment and throwing of objects unto the field of play by the supporters of Smart City FC which led to the disruption and discontinuation of the match in breach of article 16.2 of Nigeria National League (NN) Rules.
3. Alh. Kamaldeen Olowoye, General Manager, Smart City FC admitted before the Committee that, his team (Smart City FC) have supporters in Ogun State and many other places.
4. The Committee established that there was physical assault on the Centre Referee, (Oni Stephen Anuoluwapo), Assistant Referee 1 (Taiwo Matthew), and the Reserve Referee (Awodeyin Abidemi) by the supporters of Smart City FC, in breach of Art. 26.1, NNL Rules.
5. That the Centre Referee (Oni Stephen Anuoluwapo) in his testimony before the Committee stated that he sustained minor injury but one of his colleague sustained a more severe injury.
6. The Centre Referee (Oni Stephen Anuoluwapo) stated the list of lost items to wit: one (1) badge, one (1) Wrist Watch, Control Cards, one (1) Whistle, Flags and three (3) Uniforms belonging to the three (3) assaulted Match Officials. All the lost items were estimated to cost the sum of Two Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Naira (N216,000) only.
DECISIONS:
In view of the above findings, the Committee decides as follows:
1. The Committee adopts the fine of One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00) imposed by the Nigeria National League (NNL) on Smart City FC for encroachment and throwing of objects unto the field of play in line with art. 26.1, NNL Rules.
2. Smart City FC is hereby fined the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) only for assault on match officials by its supporters.
3. The Committee hereby adopts the decision of the NNL deducting three (3) points and three (3) goals from the accumulated points/goals of Smart City FC, for assault on match officials.
4. That the ban on the supporters of Smart City FC from participating in any NNL organized match for the remaining 2022/2023 season is hereby upheld.
5. The fine of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) imposed on Smart City FC by Nigeria National League as medical bills for the injuries inflicted on the match officials is hereby set aside as the injury sustained by the match officials were minor and there was no prove of committing any money on the treatment as hospital bills.
6. The fine of One Million Naira (N1,000,000,00) imposed by NNL for payment of lost items by Match Officials is hereby reduced to Two Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Naira (N216,000) only, to be paid to the three (3) match officials by Smart City FC representing the ascertained cost of lost items in the match from the oral statement of the Centre Referee.
7. The Committee adopts the decision of NNL warning Smart City FC to desist from any act of assault on match officials or face complete withdrawal from the League, in line with art. 26.1.1 of the rules.
8. The decision of the NNL ordering the play of the remaining 47 minutes of the game on Thursday 20th April, 2023 under strict closed doors at the same stadium with the same officials is hereby upheld.
9. The decision warning Ogun State Football Association to henceforth ensure provision of adequate and effective security before, during and after match is hereby upheld.
10. That the above decisions are without prejudice to the right of appeal.
In attendance: Barr. J.B. C. Obikwelu (Chairman), Barr. A.I. Abdulrahman (Vice chairman), Barr. Ibrahim Mukhtar (Member), Barr. ‘Wole Ademoyegun (Member), Barr. Bello Galadi (Member) and Queen W. Otarakpo, Esq. (Secretary)
CASE 2: YOBE DESERT STARS FC V. DMD FC
In the matter between Yobe Desert Stars FC Vs. DMD FC in the match played between Yobe Desert Stars FC Vs. DMD FC. The Committee Rules as follows:
FINDINGS:
1. The Committee found as a fact that the security provided by the Yobe State Football Association was inadequate and ineffective, and this led to serious security breach at the match venue.
2. The Committee found as a fact that there was assault on the match officials by the supporters of Yobe Desert Stars FC, in breach of article 26.1, Nigeria National League (NNL) Rules.
3. The Committee established that, the match was disrupted at the 84th minute.
4. That the supporters of Yobe Desert Stars FC encroached unto the field of play and were fighting the Centre Referee and this led to the discontinuation of the match in breach of article 16.2 of the NNL Rules.
5. Mr. Abubakar Ago (FIFA Rtd), Ag. Chairman, Yobe Desert Stars FC admitted before the Committee that he advised the Centre Referee (Shaarani Guza) to overrule himself and award a goal (he earlier disallowed) in favour of his team (Yobe Desert Stars FC) during the time of the crisis on the field of play.
6. The Committee found as a fact that Mr. Abubakar Ago (FIFA Rtd.) ordered the closure of the stadium and perimeter fence gates and induced attacks on the Referee.
7. That the Centre Referee despite being invited to appear before the Committee, did not honour the invitation, but rather sent a text message at about 11:00pm on 1st June, 2023 to say that he would not be able to come for the meeting as a result of ill health.
8. That no evidence (oral or documentary) was presented before the Committee to establish the value of the officials’ lost items as alleged.
9. That Mr. Salisu Musa, Secretary, DMD FC witnessed when the Ag. Chairman of Yobe Desert Stars FC, Mr. Abubakar Ago (FIFA Rtd.) directed one of his boys to hit a policeman who was protecting the Centre Referee with a stick, and the boy complied accordingly.
DECISIONS:
In view of the above findings, the Committee decides as follows:
1. The Committee hereby adopts the decision of the Nigeria National League (NNL) in counting the match between Yobe Desert Stars FC v. DMD FC as a complete fixture with the scoreline at 0:0 in favour of both teams in line with art. 15.10.2 of the NNL Rules.
2. The fine of One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00) imposed by NNL on Yobe Desert Stars FC for encroachment and throwing of objects unto the field of play in line with article 26.1 of the NNL Rules is hereby upheld.
3. Yobe Desert Stars FC is hereby fined the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) for assault on match officials by its supporters.
4. The Committee hereby adopts the decision of the NNL deducting three (3) points and three (3) goals from the accumulated points/goals of Yobe Desert Stars FC, for assault on match officials.
5. The decision banning the supporters of Yobe Desert Stars FC from participating in all NNL organized matches is hereby reduced to the end of the current football season.
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6. The decision banning Mr. Abubakar Ago of Yobe Desert Stars FC from participating in all NNL organized matches for a period of one (1) year is hereby upheld and further extended to include all NFF and NRA activities.
7. The fine of Five Hundred Thousand (N500,000.00) imposed on Yobe Desert Stars FC as medical bills for the injured match officials is hereby set aside for want of evidence of settlement of the medical bills.
8. The Centre Referee was invited but he did not show up to lead evidence of the items alleged to have been missing, therefore the Committee is constrained to uphold the sum of Five Hundred Thousand (N500,000.00) as cost for the replacement of lost items of match officials. Therefore, the fine of Five Hundred Thousand (N500,000.00) imposed on Yobe Desert Stars FC for same is hereby set aside.
9. The Committee adopts the decision warning Yobe Desert Stars FC to desist from any act of assault on match officials or face complete withdrawal from the League, in line with art. 26.1.1 of the NNL Rules.
10. The Committee adopts the decision ordering Yobe Deserts Stars FC to play their next three (3) home matches under strict closed doors in line with art. 16.4.1 of the NNL Rules.
11. The decision warning Yobe State Football Association to henceforth ensure provision of adequate and effective security before, during and after match is hereby upheld.
12. That the above decisions are without prejudice to the right of appeal.