Nigeria Leagues
NPFL moves against poor officiating, recommends suspension of five referees
By Dayo Awoniyi
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has taken firm action against substandard officiating during the 2025/26 season by recommending sanctions against several referees whose performances in Matchday 8 sparked widespread criticism.
In a statement signed by NPFL Chief Executive Officer Davidson Owumi, the league urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to immediately review the conduct of match officials involved in the contentious fixtures, notably the Kano Pillars versus Shooting Stars and Nasarawa United versus Rangers matches.
The NPFL has formally written to the NFF Match Officials Appointment Committee, calling for a thorough assessment and possible suspension of center referee Mohammed B. Tuta from Adamawa and his assistants Bem Japhet of Benue and Shehu Isah of Adamawa, who officiated the Kano Pillars–Shooting Stars encounter.
Similarly, center referee Ikechukwu Taiwo of Rivers and assistant referee Usman Opeyemi Edward of Osun, who oversaw the Nasarawa United–Rangers fixture, have been recommended for review due to questionable decisions that influenced the games.
Owumi stressed that the league remains steadfast in preserving the integrity of the competition, noting that consistent poor officiating undermines fair play and erodes public trust in the NPFL’s credibility.
“The league is committed to maintaining the highest standards of officiating. Match officials who fail to meet these expectations will be held accountable,” Owumi affirmed.
This decisive action follows growing scrutiny over refereeing standards amid a series of contentious calls and subsequent violent reactions from fans in recent NPFL matches.
