NFF Threatens Dismissal, Prosecution Of Referees Over Poor Officiating In NPFL

The Nigeria Football Federation has issued a strong warning to referees handling Nigeria Premier Football League matches, insisting that fair and accurate officiating must be maintained throughout the season.

In a memo sent to all NPFL clubs, the NFF Refereeing Development Committee, through Mohammed Ameenu, said the warning became necessary to protect the improvement already recorded in match officiating since the league started six weeks ago.

The federation acknowledged that referees had performed better in recent weeks, but noted that there were still cases of wrong decisions, including clear misapplication of the Laws of the Game.

The NFF therefore directed match officials to uphold equity, fairness and the standard interpretation of the Laws of the Game 2026 as amended.

It warned that any referee who violates the guidelines or damages the reputation of the league would be dismissed and handed over to security agencies for prosecution.

The memo is seen as part of efforts to ensure that NPFL matches are decided by the players and not by officiating errors.