By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has officially cleared former Plateau United goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka of any wrongdoing in connection with an alleged betting scandal.
Following a thorough inquest, the league body confirmed that the player is now free to continue his career without restrictions.
In a statement signed by NPFL Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi, the league explained that Adeyinka’s suspension had been lifted after he cooperated fully with investigators and no evidence was found to implicate him at this stage.
“The information received from the inquest coupled with our investigative findings has necessitated further inquiry into this matter, and all those mentioned to be involved one way or the other in unravelling this matter will be invited as the investigation continues.
“However, for the benefit of fair hearing and not to put your career in jeopardy, the suspension placed on your registration in the NPFL has been lifted. You are free to register for any club of your choice,” the statement read.
The NPFL thanked Adeyinka for his “prompt response and cooperation,” noting that while the broader investigation into betting irregularities remains ongoing, the goalkeeper is not under any current sanction.
The decision comes as a significant relief for the 25-year-old shot-stopper and his camp, who had expressed concerns about the impact of the allegations on his professional future.
Adeyinka is now eligible to sign with any club ahead of the upcoming NPFL season.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
