The Afonja Warriors have been handed the ticket to the Nigeria topflight division after the Nigeria National League board upheld their verdict against Rancher Bees

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has upheld the verdict of the Nigeria National League (NNL), which awarded Kwara United FC three points and three goals to secure the Ilorin outfit a promotion ticket to the elite division.

In a letter to both NNL club secretaries and signed by the secretary of the Organising and Disciplinary Committee (O&D), of the NFF, Tunde Aderibigbe made available to Goal, conveyed the verdict of the football body on the disputed game.

The NNL had initially awarded the Ilorin based team three points and three goals after the rescheduled week 30 match between Ranchers Bees and Kwara United ended abruptly barely six minutes to go at the Fifa Goal Project pitch, Abuja on December 19.

In the earlier verdict of the NFF’s Appeals committee, the body had ruled that the remaining 28 minutes left to be played when violence erupted in the first encounter in Kaduna be replayed.

The O and D in its latest ruling said it was established from match officials’ reports, video, and oral evidence that the match ended abruptly due to attack/assault on the match officials by some identified Ranchers Bees players and officials.

The NFF also said it established from match commissioner’s oral evidence and written report that the reserve bench of Ranchers Bees led by Alh. Ali Nayara, the Team Manager of Ranchers Bees FC.

Tele Ibrahim, the assistant coach of Ranchers encroached and invaded the field of play and physically assaulted and inflicted bodily injuries on the match officials in contravention of article 4.3(1).

The NFF O&D also upheld the decision of NNL banning three Ranchers Bees players and two officials for one year for attacking the match officials and fined the Kaduna based team the sum of N1.2m.

The management of Ranchers Bees have been asked to repair a Toyota Camry car belonging to Mr. Muhammed Babayo of the Nigeria Police Force.