MATCH FIXING IN NIGERIA: Players on the Run over Scandalous 146 Goals in Two Football Games

 Reality has caught up with the hypes. The players, club and match officials involved in the scandalous 146 goals in two football games in Bauchi are all on the run; after Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Chief Mohammed Sanusi made his intentions known to involve the police, to investigate the alleged match fixing.

Perhaps, none of the persons involved in the outrageous games envisaged that it would take on such a global magnitude. With almost none media presence in Nigeria elite leagues and these two matches involved an amateur league teams that were played in the remote state of Bauchi, who would have expected anyone to report it. Well, the international media took interest and as soon as the news flittered out on BBC, CNN, goal.com… the social media took it up and soon the whole world were laughing at the football caricature.

NFF chief, Mohammed Sanusi said: “This is a disgrace. We have confirmed the results from the centre and it is totally unacceptable.” Earlier last week, NFF suspended the 4 clubs involved and are likely to issue out life ban after investigation. The police may also be making some arrest, why the players and officials are on the run now.

The management of Plateau United FC has since apologized to NFF and Nigerians. They have gone ahead to disband the feeders team and sacked all the players as well as officials. Alhaji Aminu Babayaro, the sole owner of Babayaro FC has also announced the disbandment of the team. Nigeria police is likely to take it to the next level to punish members of their team for bringing the police force to disrepute.

What Happened? It was the play-off for promotion into the lower rank of Nigeria Nationwide league (NNL).  Plateau united feeders’ team and Police machine FC were at the same points, with a game left for each team.

The Matches which were played simultaneously at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauchi, saw Plateau united feeders defeat Akurba FC by 79 – 0; while Police machine defeated Babayaro FC by 67 – 0. A total of 146 goals were scored in the two games.

An eye witness said it was such a show of shame. The spies of both Plateau united and Police machine were at the different venues communicating with their officials what was happening at the other venue; urging the players of their team to keep scoring more goals. 

Although in desperation the teams took the Bauchi play-off to the extreme. Match fixing is so prevalent in Nigeria football. What is known as the ‘Home Win Syndrome.’  Where teams playing at home employ all kinds of illegality, including bribery of the match officials to win at all cost. The recent Bauchi match fixing is just the Kernel that breaks the carmel’s back.

And Emmanuel Adesanya, head of amateur football in the country, insists the football frauds will never progress back up the football pyramid.
He raged: “The match officials have been suspended. The good news is that none of these teams are part of our league as yet.

“At the moment, they are simply representatives of their states, and only the group winners would have qualified to join the Nationwide Amateur League.

“We cannot allow such fraudulent teams to be part of our league…”

FIFA is watching and may eventually come in with its big hammer if NFF fails to treat the case with all seriousness. Match fixing is one crime that has threatened to kill the beautiful game and FIFA gives it all the seriousness it deserves.