Tijani Babangida sanctioned by League Management Company

The former Super Eagles star and Heartland’s general manager have been punished by the league organisers for bringing the game to disrepute

FC Taraba general manager, Tijani Babangida, coach Ladan Bosso and Heartland’s Okechukwu Ibeh have been fined by the League Management Company for breaching the code of conduct for club officials under the NPFL rules.

The trio were cited for public comments against referees considered capable of bringing the league to opprobrium which is against Article 14 of the Code of Conduct for Coaches and managers and Article C1 of the framework and rules of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Bosso’s charge is in relation to comments he made to the media against the referee after the Week 12 fixture between Rangers and Abia Warriors where the LMC claimed “he failed to act in an ethical and professional manner, in the best interest of the game, and you made statements capable of bringing the game to disrepute”.

Babangida and Bosso will pay N50, 000 while Ibeh was hit with N200, 000 – and they have 48 hours to remit the fund or defend themselves before the body.

The LMC also forwarded cases of match officials to the Nigeria Football Federation Referees Appointment Committee requesting that they should be dropped from officiating NPFL games pending the review of their performance in some matches.

They are Jerry Akure, Aliyu Jingi, Garba Musa Maaji Mohammed, Abbas J, Alfa Gimba, Sam Agba, Mohammed Sule, Suleiman Jimeta and Sani Mohammed.