Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Deputy Governor, Ebomhiana Musa, has said the state-owned Bendel Insurance will not return to the Nigeria National League following the ruling of the Nigeria Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee,UGAMATV reports.

Fans of Remo Stars encroached the pitch in Ikenne, Ogun State, during the week 21 NNL tie between Insurance and home side Remo on June 6, with the game goalless in the 96th minute.

The irate home fans chased the visiting Insurance players away, wielding clubs and sticks.

According to the Edo State Government, 10 members of the Insurance squad, including players and officials, sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Last week, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, after a visit to the injured players and officials at the Central Hospital, Benin City, withdrew the club from the NNL, adding that his administration would take legal action against Remo for the “dastardly act.”

Obaseki also said Insurance would only return to the league if the Nigeria Football Federation took appropriate sanctions against Remo Stars.

“For now, we can’t continue with the league; we will suspend the participation of Edo Insurance in the league until NFF takes the appropriate sanctions against those who injured our players and also take interest in treating our players. We want to see that the right things are done in the league. This is the third time I understand Insurance players have been attacked,” Obaseki stated.

On Friday, the NFF Disciplinary Committee fined Remo N900,000 – N500,000 for breaches of COVID-19 Protocol and the discontinuation of the match due to encroachment by Remo fans, and N400,000 as general damages against Remo, to be paid to Insurance.

Speaking with UGAMATV, Musa said despite Insurance impressive position on the league table, which could earn them a promotion to the topflight league, the club would only return to the NNL until they got justice.

He said, “The club has released a statement and the statement is very clear, but let me add that there were instances where lesser atrocities were created by football fans and heavy sanctions were imposed on the teams concerned. When Holy Arrow (fans) attacked our players in Delta, they said we had no evidence and didn’t do anything; no sanction was imposed, aside from moving the match to Enugu, which also amounted to punishing us and the offenders.

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“What have we done to NFF and the league management? It looks like they are out to suppress us and punish Bendel Insurance.

“Our take is that they are playing politics with Nigerian football and they need to separate both clearly. They are killing football in the country.

“By our rating on the log we are sure to secure promotion, but with the way the judgment is, we will not return to the league until justice is done.”

Also, Insurance, in a statement signed by their media officer, Kehinde Osagiede, and made available to UGAMATV, rejected the disciplinary committee’s ruling.

“We received the Nigeria National Football Disciplinary Committee’s judgement on the case of assault, security breaches and field encroachment established against Remo Stars with dismay, disbelief and total loss of confidence in the country’s football regulatory body,” the statement read in part.

“We see the judgment as bias and nothing but an instrument for encouraging further violence in Nigerian football, a call to anarchy, and is therefore unacceptable.

“The only substance derivable from the judgment is the untouchable status vested on Remo Stars by NNL.
“Directing Remo Stars to pay N400,000 to Bendel Insurance FC as damages is a big insult to us and the people of Edo State.

“Insurance FC will therefore explore other legal alternatives to seek adequate redress by way of appealing to the Nigeria Football Federation Appeals Committee and may go to higher authority.

“Finally, we will not play any match until we get justice.”