Referees Involved in Controversial Kano Pillars vs Shooting Stars Match Suspended
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has suspended three referees from officiating in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) following a series of controversial decisions that caused outrage among fans and clubs.
The affected officials — Mohammed B. Tuta, Ben Japhet, and Ikechukwu Taiwo — were sanctioned by the NFF Referee Development Committee after their performances on Matchday 8 were judged to have fallen below acceptable standards.
In a statement signed by the committee’s secretary, Ameenu Mohammed, the NFF said that the handling of the Kano Pillars vs Shooting Stars fixture by Tuta and Japhet “fell short of professional expectations.”
The heated encounter at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano ended 1-1 and descended into chaos as home fans protested what they described as poor officiating. The incident led to NPFL disciplinary action against Kano Pillars for crowd trouble after the match.
Similarly, referee Ikechukwu Taiwo, who officiated the Nasarawa United vs Rangers game, was suspended for awarding what the committee described as an “unjustified penalty.”
All three referees have now been placed on indefinite suspension pending further review and mandatory retraining.
The committee reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards unprofessional conduct, warning that any referee found guilty of compromising match integrity will face strict disciplinary measures.
