NPFL Suspends Referee and Assessor Indefinitely Over Matchday 21 Lapses

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has indefinitely suspended centre referee Oguche Benjamin and referee assessor Ishaya Usman following officiating errors in the matchday 21 clash between Kano Pillars and Abia Warriors.

The decision was announced by the Nigeria Football Federation’s Refereeing Development Committee after reviewing the game played on 19 January 2026, which ended in a 1-0 win for Abia Warriors.

According to the committee, referee Oguche Benjamin failed to award a clear penalty, a decision deemed contrary to the Laws of the Game and one that negatively influenced the match outcome.

Referee assessor Ishaya Usman was also sanctioned after investigators found that he did not properly perform his duties, with his match reports missing key incidents and failing to accurately document the post-match debriefing.

“These actions not only affected the outcome of the match but also brought the game into disrepute,” the committee said.

Both officials are suspended with immediate effect from all NPFL and other football matches until further notice.