Nationwide league lauds NFF on life ban: 146 scandalous goals

The Nigeria Nationwide League has lauded the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF organising disciplinary committee, O and D, to place a life ban on players and officials involved in a scandalous 146 goals score line in a playoff matches involving four amateur clubs seeking promotion to division 3 of the league.
The O and D led by the first vice chairman of the NFF, Mike Umeh, on Monday, slammed a life ban on the players and officials of the four teams, the match officials and also suspended the teams 10 years from playing in any of the nation’s league.
The chairman of the league, Ahmed Kawu told Pilot Sports exclusively that he receives the news with joy because board members had long expected the outcome.
He said that the results of the said matches posed a serious threat to the nation football if something urgently was not done by the federation, adding that their efforts to develop the league of their dreams would have been shattered by the devilish act of those involved.
“My joy knows no bound in this pronouncement by the O and D because the act was capable of destroying what we have suffered to build over the years.
“I am happy with this life ban on the affected persons because those who may have same mindset subsequently would definitely reconsider their stance,” he said.
Kawu had in a press briefing last week, disowned the four clubs involved in the show of shame matches and recommended life ban on anyone found guilty of the offence, while insisting that they were non-league clubs and were teams seeking for promotion to the nationwide league.
He also sounded a note of warning to clubs either in the league or those seeking promotion to play in the nationwide league next season, to learn a lesson from what has happened to the four clubs involved in the match fixing, saying that the board will continue to fight corruption in a bid to sanitise the league.
The nationwide league zonal playoff matches played at the Bauchi centre witnessed irregularities as 146 goals were scored in two matches within 90 minutes of play each, while Police Machine FC demolished Bubayero FC 67-0, Plateau Utd Feeders whitewashed Akurba Ult FC 79-0.