By Joe Apu
NFF Disciplinary Committee has dismissed the appeal made by Kano Pillars regarding their case against Dakkada and have thus relegated the four-time league champions to the lower division.
Four-time league champions Kano Pillars have been relegated from the NPFL after the NFF Appeals Committee upheld the decision to deduct three points in their match against Dakkada FC.
The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, confirmed the deduction of the points in a statement published on their website on Saturday.
Kano Pillars, who will now play at National League for the first time in over two decades, were punished for improper conduct during a league game with Dakkada at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, on June 23.
The incident occured when their chairman Surajo Yahaya Jambul assaulted Assistant Referee 1, Daramola Olalekan, after visitors Dakkada scored a late equaliser against the home team.
Also, a camera, Sony HD Full HD 1920×1080, belonging to Dakkada was damaged by angry Pillars fans.
Following the incident the League Management Company, LMC, deducted three points from Kano Pillars which leaves them on 42 points, five adrift of safety with one game left to play.
However, Pillars appealed the decision but the NFF rejected which means Pillars have been relegated to the lower division.
“The Committee found as a fact that Kano Pillars FC did not challenge findings No. 5 of the decision of the NFF Disciplinary Committee, which is the assault on the Asst. Referee 1 by the former Chairman of Kano Pillars FC.
“That Dakkada Int’l FC admitted that their camera was not totally destroyed, but the memory card was removed and the microphone destroyed, but the recording was saved on the internal memory of the camera and same was forwarded to League Management Company and it is in the League Management Company’s record.