Bendel Insurance Football Club have rejected the decision by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the incident which occurred during their Nigeria National League (NNL) week 21 match in Ikenne.
Kehinde Osagiede, the club’s spokesman, in a statement in Benin on Saturday said the decision was biased and nothing but an instrument for encouraging further violence in Nigerian football.
“It is a call to anarchy, and is therefore unacceptable.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NFF awarded N900,000 as costs against Remo Stars FC of Sagamu over the attack on Bendel Insurance players and officials.
The Benin-based Insurance FC, who are sponsored by the Edo Government, said they were not going to play any match until they get justice.
“We will explore other legal alternatives to seek adequate redress by way of appealing to the NFF Appeals Committee or we may go to higher authorities,” the club said.
In the judgment delivered by the NFF Disciplinary Committee, Remo Stars are to pay N400,000 to Insurance FC for injuries to the players as well as for their damaged bus.
The balance of N500,000 awarded against Remo Stars was for the breach of COVID-19 protocols.
Insurance FC’s management noted that the N400,000 awarded against Remo Stars for general damages was too small and does not reflect the extent of financial losses they incurred.
“We received the Disciplinary Committee’s judgement on the case of assault, security breaches and field encroachment established against Remo Stars with dismay, disbelief and total loss of confidence in the country’s football regulatory body.
“The only substance derivable from the judgment is the untouchable status vested on Remo Stars by NFF.
“Directing Remo Stars to pay N400,000 to Bendel Insurance FC as damages is a big insult to us and the people of Edo.
“Banishment of Remo Stars with no option from their stadium over the encroachment and assault on our players and officials would have been the first action taken against Remo Stars.
“The failure of the disciplinary committee to mention that in their list of sanctions amounts to suffocation of justice. This is so because no other offender(s) in similar cases were warned or asked to sign any undertaking in the recent past.
“Without any apology, the judgment is unbelievably irresponsible and capable of promoting violence among football lovers and killing the enthusiasm of football supporters in the country.
“Considering similar cases ( though with lesser offences and injuries) involving Holly Arrows in which the judgment banished Holly Arrows to Enugu, and that of Kano Pillars in which the NPFL team was fined N7.5 million, it is easy to arrive at the conclusion that the judgment by the disciplinary committee on Remo Stars vs Insurance FC is bought by Remo Stars.
“We believe that the panel did not look at the rules book, particularly (Act.16:1-4) before arriving at their conclusion,” Insurance FC stated.(NAN)
