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FIFPRO is the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels. It is basically the international professional footballers' union.

Nigerian club, league and federation found negligent for player's death

17 April 2025

⚫️ Chineme Martins, who played for Nasarawa United, died after collapsing during a Nigerian Professional Football League match at which there was insufficient medical services in March 2020

⚫️ The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has found the club, league, federation, and match commissioner negligent for Martins’ death

⚫️The court’s ruling stated that it was “reprehensible” that Martins was allowed to play without complete medical tests and without the provision of adequate medical facilities at the Lafia Township Stadium

A Nigerian club, together with the league and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), have been found negligent for the death of a player during a game in March 2020.

Nigerian defender Chineme Martins, who played for Nasarawa United, died at the age of 25 after collapsing during a Nigerian Professional Football League match at which there was insufficient medical services.

A report published on the NFF’s website that year stated that Nasarawa United had ‘neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist’ at the game and that there was ‘no functional ambulance at the stadium’ at the time of the incident.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria ruled that Nasarawa United breached their duty of care towards Martins and that the club must compensate his family. The court stated that the league, the NFF and the match commissioner of the day also had a duty of care to ensure that the club complied with the relevant regulation and that they breached it.

The court’s ruling stated it was “reprehensible” that Martins was allowed to play without complete medical tests – an echocardiogram was never conducted on Martins at the start of each of his three seasons with the club – and without the provision of adequate medical facilities at the Lafia Township Stadium.

FIFPRO lawyers assisted the family of Martins to pursue the claim of negligence. Martins’ brother Michael said: “The court has spoken and ruled that Nasarawa United, the league management company and the NFF did not take into consideration my brother’s safety, health and welfare which contributed to his death.

“I hope that the appropriate medical provisions are put in place for Nigeria’s footballers going forward, so that no family has to endure the pain we have suffered.”

https://fifpro.org/en/supporting-players/obtaining-justice/governance-and-representation/nigerian-club-league-and-federation-found-negligent-for-player-s-death

Photo 2) Chineme Martins (right) with brother Michael

Yeye league where player's throat are being slit simply bcuz of nothing


Yeye league where club owners are interested in money they'll make with player's instead of players well being

Yeye league where a female REFEREE wear police uniform in disguise to escape being lynched ?

Yeye league where corruption reigns supreme


Yeye league where tribalism is top-notch


Yeye league where going to play against home team means you'll lose or get beaten up



The wrath plenty


RIP MARTINS you died while trying to feed home

Na today??

Hope something good comes out of this for players in Nigeria

May nigeria not happen to us and our family

This country is a fvckin crime scene..so many crazy shit going down these days and no one is held accountable 😔


Once you understand this, you are good to go.

Our home-based players are really facing a lot.

Living in Nigeria has killed a lot

[b]

May God help.

Since 2020

And yet up till now most clubs in the league still doesn't have reliable medical team

Typical of the Nigerian traditions - everyone trying to cut corners to save costs. Even if you as a player decide to refuse playing without proper medicals, your own colleagues will brand you as too proud and gladly take your spot instead of standing with you in solidarity to make sure the right things are done.

Ibst:
We are all walking and working corps, May God help.

Speak for your self

Ibst:
We are all walking and working corps, May God help.

You and your family are the only ones who are ‘walking and working corpses’

RIP to the dead

Nigeria premier league needs to be offering the best to the players.

Do we actually know how to do anything right in this country ?
This negligence is rampant in every sector.
I our schools, in government offices, in the hospital, on the road, in the streets. Our I don't care attitude is too much

Nairafore:
Don't pay for predictions.

Check this page to know what Manipulated odds are.

Clevistam Tominay

you well?

Nigeria League, very stupid league, no be today e start.
No wonder our bros dey beg/cry just to see shirt for England league Two oh....
Nigeria football government na hell
Rip

That is why when super eagles come back home to play friendly match, they will take take their time to be running as if nothing is at stake because if they collapse, there is no fuel talk more of ambulance to take them to hospital

Did he collapse or was attacked?

Akfrenzy:
Yeye league where player's throat are being slit simply bcuz of nothing


Yeye league where club owners are interested in money they'll make with player's instead of players well being

Yeye league where a female REFEREE wear police uniform in disguise to escape being lynched ?

Yeye league where corruption reigns supreme


Yeye league where tribalism is top-notch


Yeye league where going to play against home team means you'll lose or get beaten up



The wrath plenty


RIP MARTINS you died while trying to feed home

The ills of our league are representative of who we are as a society.

Please what happened here? Is this guy okay? Was this done by rival fans? Why wasn't this in the news? Which kain wahala country be this abeg?

Akfrenzy:
Yeye league where player's throat are being slit simply bcuz of nothing


Yeye league where club owners are interested in money they'll make with player's instead of players well being

Yeye league where a female REFEREE wear police uniform in disguise to escape being lynched ?

Yeye league where corruption reigns supreme


Yeye league where tribalism is top-notch


Yeye league where going to play against home team means you'll lose or get beaten up



The wrath plenty


RIP MARTINS you died while trying to feed home

dohyn:
Please what happened here? Is this guy okay? Was this done by rival fans? Why wasn't this in the news? Which kain wahala country be this abeg?

A fan approached him for a selfie 🤳 after match but unfortunately brought out Jack knife 🔪 and slit his throat

Nassarawa again? The other day, they stabbed a plateaue united striker for scoring them.


If NFF don't relegate them for that nonsense, then all of them are maad

Cowboys everywhere

naptu2:
FIFPRO is the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels. It is basically the international professional footballers' union.



https://fifpro.org/en/supporting-players/obtaining-justice/governance-and-representation/nigerian-club-league-and-federation-found-negligent-for-player-s-death

Photo 2) Chineme Martins (right) with brother Michael

All I want to know is what killed him. Was he on PEDs? Do they have to undergo medical tests for every game or it’s a once a year process?

Akfrenzy:
A fan approached him for a selfie 🤳 after match but unfortunately brought out Jack knife 🔪 and slit his throat

^^^
The knife man should be severely punished. Severely!

The fallout of this isn't hard to predict. Going forward, one can imagine league players will restrict interaction with fans for their safety. It will be even stricter for players based abroad who come here for AFCON/World Cup qualifiers. After paying millions of Euros or Sterling in transfer fees, which club president is going to be casual about security for the club's investment?

That knife man should rot in prison. Years of hard labour with no possibility of parole.

they should pay dearly for it

the match commissioner should be held more accountable because he should ensure all medical, security and accommodation are in place, someone need to pay for his death and his the one culpable

Akfrenzy:
Yeye league where player's throat are being slit simply bcuz of nothing

Yeye league where club owners are interested in money they'll make with player's instead of players well being

Yeye league where a female REFEREE wear police uniform in disguise to escape being lynched ?

Yeye league where corruption reigns supreme

Yeye league where tribalism is top-notch

Yeye league where going to play against home team means you'll lose or get beaten up

The wrath plenty

RIP MARTINS you died while trying to feed home

Many thanks for your list of some wrong things in our national league.

Why did you forget to also list the works you are doing to improve our league