The Nigeria Football Federation has handed indefinite suspensions to centre referee Oguche Benjamin and referee assessor Ishaya Usman following officiating lapses in the NPFL match day 21 fixture between Kano Pillars and Abia Warriors.
The decision was communicated by the Nigeria Football Federation’s Refereeing Development Committee after a review of the Matchday encounter played on 19 January 2026, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Abia Warriors.
According to the committee, referee Oguche Benjamin was found to have ignored a glaring penalty situation during the match an action ruled to be not in line with the Laws of the Game and one that adversely affected the outcome.
FULL Statement. Photo Credit:X
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The referee assessor, Ishaya Usman, was also sanctioned after investigators concluded that he failed to properly discharge his responsibilities. The committee said his match reports did not reflect key incidents, nor did they adequately capture the post-match debriefing process.
“These actions did not only negatively affect the outcome of the match but equally bring the game into disrepute,” the committee stated.
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As a result, both officials have been suspended indefinitely with immediate effect from all league and other football matches.
