The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has ordered the stoppage of all forms of football activities in the country for the next four weeks.
NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, in a statement late Wednesday, said the shutdown was “as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic.”
Mr Olajire said the shutdown affected all on-field activities involving the various national teams, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), other leagues, youth football programmes and “even street football.”
Olajire quoted NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, saying: “the cessation will be for four weeks, after which the situation will be reviewed in line with events and trends worldwide.”
The NFF president was also quoted advising all members of the football family to observe the various safety precautions and conduct as advised.
According to the statement, Mr Pinnick said the only football activity that would be permitted was the work of the NFF investigation committee into the death of Chineme Martins, a Nasarawa United player who died during a game.
The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday in Benin, Edo State and is expected to submit its report within 10 days.
Meanwhile, the 2019/2020 NPFL has been suspended till further notice.
“The decision is to conform with the guidelines for containment of the spread of the global pandemic,’’ the LMC, the league’s organisers, said in a statement on Wednesday.
The LMC said it would review the decision after consulting the nation’s health authorities.
Match Day 25 fixtures in the 2019/2020 NPFL were concluded on Wednesday.
