Referees Get UK Visas, Off To London On Monday

The second batch of Nigerian referees to go for capacity enhancing programme in the United Kingdom, since the advent of the Amaju Pinnick –led NFF Board, will depart the country on Monday. 

All the 20 referees have been issued entry visas into the United Kingdom, and they will be accompanied by Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed Fresh and the Chairman of Nigeria Referees Association, Alhaji Ahmed Maude. 

Three women are among the 20 arbiters who will undergo a similar exercise to that taken by a team of 10 Nigerian elite referees in a first run of the programme in December 2014. This second batch will return to the country on February 4. 

 The referees heading out for this second exercise, sponsored by Sienna Marine Limited, are Hadiza Musa, Paul Umuago, Jelili Ogunmuyiwa, Ibrahim Umar Fagge, Jeremiah Akure, Francis Agbaegbu, Mohammed Ahmed Rufai, Bosede Momoh, Ishiaku Ibrahim, Iheanacho Chukwuemeka, Dele Atoun, Abdulrahman Suleiman Jimeta, Uloma Nwogu, Abubakar Audu, Obieze Okiridu, Ezenwankor Obiora, Sunny Atu, Sani Mohammed, Jibrin Isah and Mohammed Aliyu Jingi.

 Arrangements have also been concluded for the delegation of 17 highly qualified persons, among them former Nigeria international players and top coaches, to attend a three –week Match Reading and Backroom Analysis Technique programme in the United Kingdom next month. 

 The third batch of Nigeria referees to benefit from the capacity enhancing exercises will leave for the United Kingdom in April.