Smart City Football of Lagos to face Three Points Deduction and N3.5million Fine for Assaults on Match Officials in NNL

The Nigeria National League (NNL) has imposed the sum of N3, 500, 000.00(Three million ,five hundred naira) and three points and three goals deduction on Lagos based football outfit, Smart City as fines for breaching various sections of the NNL rule book during their match day five encounter in the Southern Conference,group B2 with Gateway Football, at the Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode Ogun State on Sunday.

Acting on video evidences and reports from the referees and match commissioner, NNL charged Smart City and its supporters for pitch encroachment, Assaults on match Officials, bodily injuries, damaged and stolen items of the umpires.

The supporters of Smart City invaded the pitch when center referee issued a second yellow card to Tunde Adejokun  of Smart City, having had a caution earlier; he was given the matching order by the centre referee Oni Stepehen from Oyo state.

The decision did not go down well with the supportsers of Smart City,who allegedly took the law into their own hands, with the encounter at 0-0 during added time in the first half.

The Match Officials: MC-Adetula Felix(Ondo),Referee Assessor –Obire Bawo(Edo),AR1-Taiwo Mathew(Oyo),AR2-Adefabi Oluwatoyin(Oyo) and RR- Awodein Bidemi –(Ogun),scampered for safety as they were chased about.

After investigating the incident in ,NNL summary jurisdiction found Smart City of breaching sections 16:2,16:4.1 and 26.1 of the codified NNL rule book for the season and were charged as follows:

1. N1, 000,000.00 (One Million Naira), for pitch encroachment and throwing of objects which led to the discontinuation of the match.

2. N1, 000,000.00 (One Million Naira), for assaults on match officials and bodily harms by supporters of Smart City which led to the abandonment of the match.

3. According to Article 26.1 Smart City are to forfeit three points and three goals from already accrued points in the league 

4. Supporters of Smart City are band from all NNL organized matches till the end of the season.

5. A fine of N500, 000.00(Five hundred thousand naira) for the medical bills of the match officials. 

6. N1, 000,000.00 (One Million Naira),fine to replace the lost and damaged valuables items of the match officials.

7. NNL warned Smart City that any further act of violence and assault, will lead to a complete withdrawal from the league.

8. The Match with scores at 0-0 shall be concluded on Thursday 20th April,2023 at same venue under strict closed doors.

9. NNL equally issued warnings to the Ogun State Football Association and management of Gateway Football club to ensure adequate and effective security measures are put in place before, during and after the match. 

10. NNL notes that the teams have a 48 hours right to appeal the summary jurisdiction on receipt of its correspondence.

NNL Media & Communications