The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Referees Development Committee has expelled referee Zaharadeen Nasiru of Katsina State Referees Council following his alleged inglorious decisions during the NNL Matchday 17 fixture between home side, Jigawa Golden Stars and Sporting Supreme Fc of Abuja.
The referees committee was livid with Zaharadeen’s conduct of the match lamenting that his actions has brought refereeing and football in the country into ridicule and disrepute.
Zaharadeen and one of his Assistant , Usman Auwalu from Borno State Council was also affected by the decision. The duo awarded questionable goals and penalty to the home team, Jigawa Golden Stars of Dutse to give them 2-1 victory.
And as a measure aimed at serving as deterrent to other Nigeria referees, the NFF summarily expelled them from further handling of league matches and as well from Refereeing.
In a memo dated April 6 and signed by Mohammed Ameeru, for Chairman, NFF Referees Committee, and dispatched to referee Zaharadeen Nasiru through Katsina State FA and Usman Auwalu through the Borno State FA, notified the affected Referees of their sanctions.
“In view of the serious nature of the decisions taken in your week 17 match involving Jigawa Golden Stars FC and Sporting Supreme FC played in Dutse wherein your actions brought Refereeing and the game in Nigeria into disrepute, I’m directed to notify you that you have been expelled with immediate effect from the league and Refereeing generally”, the NFF memo concluded.
In inglorious video of the match in Dutse which has since gone viral, two players of Jigawa Golden Stars was seen openly scoring with their hands like in Volleyball game while also awarding a questionable penalty to Jigawa for no reason while a player of Sporting Supreme nodded away a corner kick.
