Nigeria Professional Football League comes hard on players & team officials over referees attacks

The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has handed a one-year ban to Nasarawa United's Paul Seun Komolafe and slapped the club's equipment manager Aliyu Mohammed Hamzat with a life ban over physically attacking match officials.

Komolafe was found guilty of assaulting match officials during a league match against Plateau United.

According to BBC Sport, he was also found guilty of inciting his club's fans to attack the match officials.

The NPFL came down hardest on Nasarawa United's equipment manager Hamzat, who has been hit with a life ban from all the league's venues and activities, also for violence against match officials.

Also being sanctioned by the league is club spokesperson Eche Moses, who was fined $300 for "releasing or causing to be released a written press statement unfairly criticising match officials, conduct deemed capable of bringing the League to disrepute," as quoted by BBC Sport.

The sentences aimed at curbing hooliganism will also see Nasarawa United play their games behind closed doors for an indefinite period of time as well as paying a fine of US$ 11,700 within 10 days.

It is not yet clear whether the club intends to appeal against the penalties.