Gombe United fined N3m, three points, three goals for assault on match officials

Relegation-threatened Gombe United sank deeper yesterday when the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) announced that they have been ducked three points and three goals from its total accrued for the season as punishment for their assault on match officials.

NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, who signed the notice, warned other clubs to ensure the safety of match officials assigned to their games or face serious consequences.
Officials in the Matchday 26 fixture against visiting Akwa United were found to have been physically attacked by fans at the end of the match at the Pantanmi Stadium on Sunday, March 17.

The NPFL in a summary jurisdiction notice issued Gombe United said its findings included that Bright Nwosu, the Centre Referee, Abdullahi Indabawa, the AR1, Friday Abu Emeje AR2, and Musa Hussainy Talle, the fourth official were assaulted by the club’s fans.

The league body charged Gombe United with “breach of Rules B13.52, B13.18 and C1.1 of the NPFL frameworks and rules, which arose from failure to provide adequate and effective security leading to access to unauthorised persons to restricted areas, throwing of objects by their supporters to match officials and the visiting team and assault on match officials at the end of the game.”

In addition to the points deduction, the NPFL also imposed a fine of N3million on the club, made up of N1million each for failure to provide adequate and effective security, for throwing objects unto the field of play and compensatory payments to the four match officials at N250,000 each.

The NPFL also issued an order closing the Pantami Stadium to fans of Gombe United for the next three home games.

It gave Gombe United 48 hours from the date of receipt of the sanctions to accept in writing to submit to the rulings or elect to face a disciplinary panel in accordance with Rule C26.