EFCC arrests two referees over match fixing

Two referees have allegedly been nabbed by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged match
manipulation scandal after a second tier league match in Abuja,
AOIFootball.com reportedly said.

The match day 12 Nigeria National League game between FC Abuja
and Kogi United FC ended 1-1, but after the match, two referees
were picked up by the EFCC for alleged match manipulation.

The arrested referees are said to be from the Kogi State
Football Association.

At half time during the game, the arrested referees entered the
dressing room to talk with the match-day officials about the game
which ended in 1-1. The two men were later arrested.

The match day officials were Centre Referee: Katsina Daniel from
Benue State, Assistant Referee 1: Tyozer Thomas and Assistant
Referee 2: Orgy Blessing. All from Benue State.

It was also believed that there were records on the phones of
the arrested referees which showed they had been in contact with
the match day officials.

They were however later released, but their phones were
confiscated and they were asked to report at EFCC on Tuesday 30 for
further interrogation.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Football Federation
Integrity Unit led by Dr Christian Emeruwa, has been on an
aggressive campaign to fight the menace of match-fixing by signing
an MoU with security operatives in Nigeria to deal with
perpetrators.

Two referees have allegedly been nabbed by the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged match
manipulation scandal after a second tier league match in Abuja,
AOIFootball.com reportedly said.

The match day 12 Nigeria National League game between FC Abuja
and Kogi United FC ended 1-1, but after the match, two referees
were picked up by the EFCC for alleged match manipulation.

The arrested referees are said to be from the Kogi State
Football Association.

At half time during the game, the arrested referees entered the
dressing room to talk with the match-day officials about the game
which ended in 1-1. The two men were later arrested.

The match day officials were Centre Referee: Katsina Daniel from
Benue State, Assistant Referee 1: Tyozer Thomas and Assistant
Referee 2: Orgy Blessing. All from Benue State.

It was also believed that there were records on the phones of
the arrested referees which showed they had been in contact with
the match day officials.

They were however later released, but their phones were
confiscated and they were asked to report at EFCC on Tuesday 30 for
further interrogation.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Football Federation
Integrity Unit led by Dr Christian Emeruwa, has been on an
aggressive campaign to fight the menace of match-fixing by signing
an MoU with security operatives in Nigeria to deal with
perpetrators.