The League Management Company (LMC) has banned the Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo, home ground of FC Taraba, from hosting Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL) matches and the club has been banished to Abuja for the rest of the 2014/2015 season after their fans’ unruly behaviour led to the abandonment of the Week 35 tie between the hosts and Nasarawa United on Wednesday.
In a ruling made available to journalists from the stable of the Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar on Thursday, the league body also ruled that the disrupted league tie be completed at the FIFA Goal project in Abuja on November 4th with the remaining nine minutes of the regulation time only to be observed.
One of the many decisions reached by the LMC in the wake of the encroachment and breach of security that marred the encounter at the Jolly Nyame Stadium on Wednesday, October 28 included the ban of the stadium from hosting NPFL matches for one year, It also recommended that the three match officials be investigated by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Referees Committee which was also requested to stand-down the match officials indefinitely.
Referees Ferdinand Udoh, Efozia P and Digori Tejiri have been referred to the NFF Referees Committee for further investigation of their management of the match. The LMC said the Referee Udoh should be investigated for allegedly visiting the dressing room of Nasarawa United during the half time break in plain clothes, an act which is believed to have led to increased tension and eventual encroachment on the field of play. They also will no longer officiate in any NPFL games pending the outcome of the investigation
Relying on Article B13.9 of the Framework and Rules, the LMC imposed a fine of N5m on FC Taraba for fans’ encroachment on to the field of play and breach of security which led to the discontinuation of the match. Further to this and in line with Article B13.21, FC Taraba has been ordered to play their next three home matches at the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja.
The LMC also frowned at the conduct of the Supporters Club of FC Taraba and have subsequently banned them from all NPFL matches for the rest of the season while the club has been ordered to pay N250, 000 each to the two match officials, Udoh and Efozia that were assaulted.
It also invoked Article C12, to direct that the Jolly Nyame Stadium be banned for one year from hosting NPFL matches except the club; FC Taraba produces the first person that encroached on the field of play for prosecution.
In another verdict from the LMC, El-Kanemi Warriors were fined N500, 000 for disorderly conduct of fans in their Match Day 34 fixture against Giwa FC in Katsina while their Match Day 36 fixture against Kano Pillars slated for Sunday will be played behind closed-doors.
Wikki Tourists Coach, Abdu Maikaba also was charged for breach of code of conduct for club managers following his unguarded comments after the Match Day 35 game between Giwa FC and his club, Wikki Tourists in Jos. The Coach was fined N100, 000 and cautioned to desist from making comments that are capable of bringing the league to disrepute.
