The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has sent a strong message by imposing a ban on Kano Pillars, preventing them from registering new players for the upcoming season. This stern action has been taken in response to Kano Pillars’ failure to settle outstanding wages owed to their former goalkeeper, Bassey Akpan.
The NPFL’s Head of Administration, Stanley Ike-Richard, delivered the news in a letter addressed to the Kano Pillars management. The letter, widely reported by sports journalists, unequivocally states that the club is ineligible to sign or register new players for the upcoming season until they settle the financial dispute with their former player. Kano Pillars is required to pay Bassey Akpan the sum of eleven million, eight hundred thousand naira (N11,800,000.00) in unpaid wages.
This ban follows an earlier directive from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) through its Players’ Status/Arbitration Committee. In a letter signed by the Committee’s Secretary, Joshua Onoja, Esq., Kano Pillars was instructed to remit the outstanding sum of ₦11.8 million in arrears to their former goalkeeper, Bassey Akpan, within 21 days. The club has yet to comply with this directive, leading to the recent NPFL action.
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Bassey Akpan, a former Golden Eaglets goalkeeper, joined Kano Pillars in 2021 and made several appearances for the club in the league before parting ways with them.
This development underscores the importance of clubs meeting their financial obligations to players and upholding contractual agreements. The NPFL’s decision serves as a reminder that financial transparency and responsibility are essential for the league’s integrity and growth.
As Kano Pillars grapples with the ban on player registrations, it remains to be seen how the club will navigate this challenge and fulfill its financial commitments to Bassey Akpan. The upcoming season promises to be an interesting one, with this ban highlighting the league’s commitment to enforcing its rules and ensuring fair treatment for players.
