Federation’s Cup: NFRA Condemns Attack On Referees, Plans Avoiding Unsecured Match Centers, Clubs

AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE

The Nigeria Football Referees’ Association, NFRA, has condemned in strong terms the assault meted out on match officials who handled one of the semi-finals matches of the 2026 President’s Federation Cup at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, Edo State, on Wednesday, June 17th, 2026.

At the end of the match involving Nassarawa United of Lafia and Ikorodu United of Lagos, officials of the Nassarawa United team players and officials reportedly attacked the referees.

Reports available to the NFRA said that at the end of the final whistle of the penalty shoot-out, as the match officials were proceeding towards the tunnel, two players of Nasarawa United FC (names withheld)
and one of the named medical officials of the Nasarawa United FC (name withheld) allegedly assaulted and aggressively confronted the match officials.

Eyewitnesses account further have it that during the incident, they (Nasarawa United FC) players and official physically assaulted the Fourth Official, causing bodily injury to him, and also damaged the Fourth Official’s communication gadget, stopwatch, and his official match uniform. Very disgusting was that in the course of the altercation, the uniform of the Referee was also torn and destroyed.

The NFRA Acting President, Sir. Kelechi Mejuobi, seriously frowns at the continued cases of attacks on referees at match venues, calls on the authorities to fashion out measures aimed at curbing these anomalies by punishing those concerned accordingly.

In view of the above, the association has asked referees appointed for matches to henceforth ensure the required number of security personnel at match venues during Pre-Match Meeting must be provided before the commencement of games. In such cases where Security required is absent or insufficient, the affected referees are to report to the State FA, NFF Referees Committee and NFRA immediately.

The NFRA seeks the support of stakeholders for safety of referees at match venues as the referees’ body may consider avoiding venues where referees are attacked as well as unable to handle matches involving teams engaged in assaulting referees.