The board of the Nigeria National League (NNL), have set up a five-man panel to investigate allegations of match fixing raised by some clubs in the NNL against the league organisers.
The league was last week thrown into confusion with some clubs accusing its secretariat and some wealthy clubs of actions amounting to match fixing, leading to threats by about five of the teams to pull out of the competition if something was not done.
The aggrieved clubs, which have already petitioned the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), accused the Nigeria National League management of working with some clubs, who are desperate for promotion to arrange the withdrawal of Zamfara United Football Club from the league.
Rising from a board meeting yesterday in Abuja, the NNL Chairman, Emeka Inyama said the league views seriously the allegations and is poised to absolve it of the serious allegation.
Inyama disclosed that the panel of investigators, to be chaired by Emmanuel Ochiagha, will have other members as veteran journalists, Charles Ojugbana, Paul Bassey, Toyin Ibitoye and chairman of the Nasarawa United FC, Isaac Danladi.
The board also resolved to strengthen the weekly monitoring of matches in the league and requested the NFF to include reports of the NNL independent assessors as part of documents to be forwarded to the Organizing and Disciplinary Committee (O&D).
As part of efforts to guarantee a smooth end for remaining matches of the league, Inyama said the final two games of the season would be handled by premier league clubs, adding that the NNL has decided to postpone week 29 and 30 games of the League to allow the NFF Disciplinary Committee dispense with outstanding cases lodged to it, as well as, replay outstanding games.
The NNL boss, who condemned in strong terms the wave of hooliganism in the Nigeria National League, appealed to clubs to caution their supporters as referees have been directed to seek legal redress for assaults, adding that the NNL would not hesitate to punish on any offending clubside.
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