Kennedy Boboye will return to the Bendel Insurance bench for the start of the 2026/27 Nigeria Premier Football League season after the NPFL suspended the remainder of his 17 match ban.
The decision follows a review of the coach’s case by the NPFL Board after Boboye submitted a written apology and appealed for leniency.
In a letter dated August 10, 2026 and signed by NPFL Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi, the league said Boboye’s conduct since the original sanction had been taken into consideration.
His previous service to Nigeria, both as a player and as a member of the national team’s technical setup, was also recognised during the review.
The NPFL Board consequently resolved to suspend the remaining period of his punishment with immediate effect.
Boboye’s reprieve, however, comes with a warning. The league made it clear that the suspended portion of the sanction will be activated if the coach is involved in similar misconduct during the next season.
He was also reminded of the responsibility that comes with coaching an NPFL club, with the league stressing that players and junior coaches look to senior figures as role models.
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Boboye’s original punishment was one of the most severe disciplinary sanctions handed to an NPFL coach during the 2025/26 campaign.
On March 31, Bendel Insurance were fined ₦7 million and ordered to play three home matches behind closed doors following crowd disturbances and security breaches during their Matchday 32 fixture against Plateau United at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
The league said the club had failed to provide adequate security, allowing unauthorised individuals into restricted areas.
The disciplinary case also involved allegations of misconduct by supporters and an incident after the match in which match officials were reportedly harassed and held for about 40 minutes.
Boboye was separately sanctioned for gross misconduct towards a match official.
He was handed a ₦2 million fine and a 17-match suspension, leaving his coaching future with Bendel Insurance uncertain as the club prepared for the next phase of its campaign.
Months later, the disciplinary picture has changed. Boboye’s appeal, his apology and what the NPFL described as his good conduct during the intervening period have now earned him a route back to the touchline.
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The decision means Boboye is available to lead the Benin Arsenal when they open their 2026/27 NPFL campaign against Warri Wolves.
Bendel Insurance will host Warri Wolves in Benin on Sunday, August 30, giving Boboye an immediate opportunity to return to competitive action from the dugout.
The club has welcomed the NPFL’s decision, expressing appreciation to the league and its Disciplinary Committee for what it described as a fair consideration of the case and a favorable verdict.
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However, the reprieve comes with a clear condition: any repeat of similar conduct next season could bring the suspended punishment back into force.
