Nigeria League match officials say they are considering hiring the services of private bodyguards

Posted: 18 March 2013 Time: 01:20 pm

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As Nigeria's chequered 2012/2013 League season enters it's second week this Wednesday, match officials say they are considering hiring the services of private bodyguards.

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Nigerian league venues have long been considered unsafe, especially when results do not favour the home teams, with referees usually targeted for particular, violent attention.

While the first week of competition passed without incident, officials remain wary of the threat of potential violence, as evidenced by the vicious, karate-style variety unleashed on Gabriel Adigwe in Enugu and captured on live television, by people suspected to be fans of Heartland FC.

"We have our BlackBerry Messenger group where some of us discuss issues and one of the things we have talked about is getting private security to protect us," one prominent referee, who did not wish to be named, told KickOffNigeria.com.

"Referees are always getting beaten up at matches, and most times, the clubs know the people responsible and even allow them on the pitch or in the referees' dressing room.

"It is difficult to do a good job as a referee when you are not sure of your safety.

"So don't be surprised if at some point this season, you see some referees travel with well-equipped bodyguards from these private security companies to match venues.

"We will pay them out of our pockets, even if it means using the match indemnities to do so."

And in a frank admission of the state of the game, a second referee admitted that clubs offer bribes to match officials.

"Many referees take the money because they have to 'settle' people.

"That is why you see some referees get more games than others who are more competent and unbiased.

"In fact, clubs reject certain referees for their home games because they feel that they will get no advantage, but they celebrate when they see these unbiased referees at their away games."

The referee added that match officials are sometimes put on the spot by club officials, "These officials usually collect money from their bosses, and tell them that the referee has been 'settled'.

"When things don't go their way, their fans take it out on the referee believing he cheated them, or took more money from the opposing team.

"It is a no win situation.

"But corruption in football is just a reflection of the wider problems in the Nigerian society, so it would be unfair to blame just the referees," he said.

Article by: Colin Udoh

http://www.kickoff.com/news/33347/nigeria-league-match-officials-say-they-are-considering-hiring-the-services-of-private-bodyguards

ist to comment

why now? when we begin to dey enjoy our leage them wan spoil am for us

my oga @ the top will hear about this information.

My Oga at the top, Howard Webb, must hear this..

Insecurity @ its peak

Won't that make matters worse? Most of these fans are Agberos anyways!

but like seriously? hmmmm... naija my country

Most ref are biase..... Wetin naija club wan do for clattenburg or webb?. All this agbero supportter should far away to be a spectator.

.Nigeria League where u don't win away from home..

Does Howard webb have a body guard

i think any team or fanz of any team that attack the ref should be relegated ..that will serve as a serious lesson

private bodyguards without guns.... This will be a disaster... A very big disaster in the making...

I remember the day I saw fans chase policemen out of the stadium at the Onikan Waterfront. One policeman scaled the white wire-mesh fence and escaped. His colleague was not fast enough and the fans over powered him and beat hell out of him.

Making ridiculous calls especially against home teams.

referee only for home team abi!

Like.....WTF!!!

naptu2: I remember the day I saw fans chase policemen out of the stadium at the Onikan Waterfront. One policeman scaled the white wire-mesh fence and escaped. His colleague was not fast enough and the fans over powered him and beat hell out of him.

Shoooooo!!! This is Serious oooh!!!

It is very simply to stop match venue violence, simple get the clubs to sign an undertaking that states that any slight record of violence in the venue will attract nothing less than a minimum of 10match points, even if they have not even played 10 matches, that amounts to 30-points, even if they are religated before the violence occured, they will carry over the purnishment to the lower tier, and if they transfer the ownership of the club to new owners, they penalty continues; with these measures, even the clubs will do anything they can to even protect the referee and the visiting team. I love the Nigeria league and I want the league to grow.

[size=15pt]CAN I APPLY AND RE- APPLY ?[/size]