Life ban for all involved in Nigerian football match-fixing case

In a shocking revelation where 146 goals were scored in two matches between amateur Nigerian clubs, Nigeria’s football federation has imposed a life ban upon the players and officials from the four clubs involved in the two matches.

The winning teams were competing for promotion and to increase their goal performance in order to advance. Plateau United Feeders crushed Akurba 79-0 while Police Machine demolished Babayaro 67-0 in third division promotion playoffs.

“Investigation showed that all the players and officials of the four teams were involved in the shameful act,” Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) vice-president Mike Umeh told a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

“It was embarrassing that in one of the games, a player scored 11 times while in the other, four goals were scored within a minute and a player scored three own-goals in a match.”

“All the players and officials of the four clubs involved in the two matches including all the technical and administrative staff who led them to the play-off in Bauchi are banned for life,” Umeh added.

“The captain of Akurba FC, Arijide Said Timothy, who scored three own-goals against his team is believed to have been the arrowhead in the scandalous result. Thus, we recommend his ban from all football activities for life.

“The match officials consisting of the entire centre referees and their assistants and match commissioners for the two matches are also banned for life for not living up to their responsibility and allowing the game to be brought into disrepute. The four clubs … are banned for a period of 10 years.”

Feeders scored 72 goals in the second half of their game and Police Machine netted 61 times after the intermission, which forced the NFF to investigate the matter.