The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has opened a formal investigation into Ikorodu City following a series of misconduct allegations arising from their matchday 13 fixture against Plateau United at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos.
The league confirmed that the development follows a detailed petition submitted by the visiting club, whose complaints cover events that occurred before, during and after the match on Sunday.
In its official communication, the NPFL stated, ‘Ikorodu City have been found to be in breach of several provisions of the Framework and Rules of the Nigeria Premier Football League’.
The league added in the same notice that the club must provide a full response within a specified period.
‘You are required to submit a written response to the allegations within forty-eight hours of the date of this notice’, the statement read in part.
The statement also warned that failure to comply would carry immediate consequences, noting, ‘Failure to respond within the stipulated time shall be taken as acceptance of the charges’.
The NPFL concluded its directive by stating, ‘Appropriate sanctions will be applied in accordance with the Framework and Rules of the league’.
The petition from Plateau United centres on events that reportedly began during their scheduled pre-match training session on the eve of the game.
Their training slot was reportedly approved for 5 pm, but the team were unable to begin on time as an earlier lower division fixture ran beyond schedule. According to Plateau United, when they eventually gained access to the pitch at about 6.30 pm, the stadium floodlights were not activated.
A club representative described the situation as disheartening and explained that the players were forced to train in near darkness. He said the light workout intended to last an hour or more was reduced to about thirty minutes and that the absence of lighting had made proper preparation impossible. He noted that there were no floodlights available and that the players had struggled through the session.
The visiting team also raised concerns about a confrontation that arose when they attempted to secure exclusive use of the training pitch in line with NPFL guidelines.
Although the match itself went ahead as scheduled, with Ikorodu City moving to the top of the NPFL after grinding out a 2-1 win, attention has now shifted to the disciplinary process.
The NPFL’s directive requires Ikorodu City to address each allegation comprehensively, and the outcome of the investigation could have significant implications depending on the league’s findings.
