Ahmed Musa Criticises Refereeing In NPFL Clash, Calls For Officiating Reforms.
Ahmed Musa, captain of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, has voiced strong criticism of the refereeing in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 9 fixture between Nasarawa United and Kano Pillars. Musa condemned the officiating team, labelling them as “moral killers” for their handling of the match at Lafia City Stadium, which ended in a controversial 1-0 loss for Kano Pillars.
The officiating crew, led by centre referee Dahiru Muhammed Kawo and assistant referee Abdulmajid Sani Potiskum, made multiple errors, according to Musa. The most contentious was allowing a Nasarawa United goal that appeared to be offside, with two players, including the goalscorer, in questionable positions. Musa stated that such inconsistencies discourage players and harm the league’s credibility.
Musa, Nigeria’s all-time top scorer in the FIFA World Cup, recently returned to his boyhood club, Kano Pillars, alongside fellow Super Eagles player Shehu Abdullahi. Their return has been hailed as an inspiration for other Nigerian internationals to consider finishing their careers in the NPFL. However, Musa now questions his decision due to the poor standard of officiating.
“I’ve been praising the officiating and progress in the league until now, but after the officiating in this Matchday 9 game, I’m wondering if coming back to play in the NPFL was the right choice,” Musa stated.
Musa urged for reforms to improve the quality of officiating, stressing that officials should not be allowed to undermine players’ morale. “For the league to progress, we need to address the quality of officiating. Officials must not be allowed to diminish the players’ morale and effort,” he remarked.
He further warned that if officiating does not improve, he would hesitate to recommend the NPFL to his Super Eagles teammates. “If I keep witnessing such officiating, I cannot encourage anyone to return to the NPFL. It would be a waste of our efforts if this continues,” Musa added.
He also called for the NPFL management to hold officials accountable, suggesting that disciplinary action could deter further officiating issues. Reflecting on his decision to return to Nigerian football instead of pursuing international opportunities, Musa noted, “I wanted to help elevate the NPFL to European standards. But with officiating like what I saw in Lafia, it doesn’t reflect a serious league.”
Kano Pillars Technical Adviser Usman Abdallah supported Musa’s criticisms, calling for action against officials whose poor performances harm the league’s image. Abdallah also expressed disappointment that the match was not broadcast live, despite prior commitments by the league’s broadcasting partner, StarTimes, with no explanation given for the change.
Kano Pillars now look ahead to their Matchday 10 fixture against Plateau United as they aim to recover from the narrow defeat.
