NPFL Referees Move to Protect Themselves After Series of Violent Attacks

Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

The Nigeria Football Referees’ Association (NFRA) has raised an urgent alarm over the safety of match officials in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), warning that rising incidents of attacks, harassment and intimidation are threatening the integrity of the game as the season enters its final weeks. In a decisive move, the association on Saturday, 2 May 2026, activated a Security and Safety Monitoring Committee to protect referees deployed for league matches, following a spate of violent episodes at venues across the country. The acting president of the NFRA, Kelechi Mejuobi, said the decision was necessitated by the urgent need to safeguard officials and prevent further breakdown of order during fixtures. “It has become necessary for NFRA to think and work towards protecting our members at venues,” Mejuobi said in a statement. “Recent events motivated this and now the league is about to end, our association cannot wait until the unexpected happens.”

The committee, which is charged with developing procedures to complement existing efforts by league organisers, marks a significant escalation in the referee body’s response to a crisis that has been simmering for months. Just days earlier, on 19 April 2026, the NPFL match between Kano Pillars and Rivers United at the Sani Abacha Stadium descended into chaos when home fans attacked the centre referee, forcing the official to threaten to abandon the game. Former Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa and his teammate Rabiu Ali had to plead with the man in black to continue, but the damage had been done. The league subsequently handed Kano Pillars a total fine of ₦15 million, including ₦4 million for repeated failure to provide adequate security, ₦3 million for unsporting behaviour, ₦3 million for failure to control supporters leading to harassment of officials, ₦3 million for gross misconduct towards match officials, and ₦2 million for match disruption and delay. The club was also ordered to play its next three home matches behind closed doors.

The Kano incident was not isolated. In February 2026, the Kwara State Stadium in Ilorin became a theatre of violence after the NPFL clash between Kwara United and Rivers United. Angry home supporters attacked match officials and prevented visiting players from leaving the stadium, following a dramatic late equaliser. Reports said the centre referee was assaulted and had to be escorted to safety. In a separate incident in Kano in mid-April 2026, the centre referee was struck in the head with an object, causing him to collapse on the pitch. The commencement of the second half was delayed for nearly 30 minutes as the official received medical attention on the field. These repeated episodes of violence have left referees feeling exposed and powerless.

The NFRA’s Security and Safety Monitoring Committee has been tasked with developing concrete measures to enhance protection for officials across domestic competitions. While the association has not released the full details of the committee’s procedures, Mejuobi made it clear that the body will no longer tolerate any form of attack on its members. “The NFRA shall not tolerate any attempt to attack our referees at match venues,” he declared. He also appealed to clubs to channel complaints about officiating through official league mechanisms rather than resorting to violence. “We are appealing to clubs involved in the NPFL to use the league organiser’s official channel for complaints against officiating rather than resort to attacks on our referees,” Mejuobi said.

However, the association did not place the burden of responsibility solely on clubs. Mejuobi also urged referees to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, stressing that the association expects its members to conduct themselves with integrity while enforcing the laws of the game. “While we are making collaborative efforts to ensure your security, be good ambassadors by doing the right thing at match venues,” he added. The NFRA warned that it would not tolerate any actions by its members that could bring the game into disrepute, even as it pushed for stronger security guarantees from the NPFL and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The activation of the security committee comes at the most critical juncture of the NPFL calendar. With the title race, continental qualification spots and relegation battles all hanging in the balance, tensions are running high at match venues across the country. Several top‑rated officials, including FIFA‑accredited referees such as Dr Joseph Ogabor and Kaseem Abdulsalam, have been appointed to oversee fixtures in the latest round of matches, alongside assistants including Usman Abdulmajeed, Abibatu Yusuf and Mfom Friday Akpan. The NFRA’s intervention underscores the growing recognition that the integrity of the league cannot be guaranteed if the men in the middle are afraid to enforce the rules.

For the referees themselves, the message from their association is long overdue. “After years of being punched, kicked, and chased off the field, we finally have a body that is taking our safety seriously,” a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity told this reporter. “We are not enemies of the clubs. We are there to do a job. But when fans are allowed to storm the pitch and assault us, it becomes impossible to officiate fairly.” The official also noted that the threat of physical harm has led some experienced referees to consider early retirement, while younger officials are expressing reluctance to take charge of high‑profile matches.

The NPFL, for its part, has not remained entirely passive. In addition to the fines and stadium bans imposed on Kano Pillars, the league has issued repeated circulars directing clubs to improve security protocols at match venues. However, the NFRA’s decision to form its own monitoring committee suggests that the referees no longer trust the league to act with sufficient urgency. The committee is expected to work alongside the NPFL’s own security unit to identify high‑risk matches and deploy additional personnel where necessary.

The international dimension of the crisis has not been lost on Nigerian football authorities. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA have both expressed concern about the rising levels of violence in African leagues, and the NFRA’s alarm may be partly motivated by a desire to avoid sanctions from the continental body. Nigerian referees who officiate CAF and FIFA matches must maintain their accreditation, and a pattern of local violence could affect their standing on the international stage.

As the NPFL season enters its final stretch, the NFRA’s Security and Safety Monitoring Committee will be watching every match closely. The association has made it clear that it will not hesitate to recommend the suspension of matches or the closure of venues if the safety of its members cannot be guaranteed. “We cannot wait until the unexpected happens,” Mejuobi warned. For the fans who love the beautiful game, the hope is that the season does not end in the same ugly fashion that has marked so much of the campaign. For the referees, the hope is simply that they will be allowed to go home unharmed.

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