NRA loses Premier League in auto crash

The Nigeria Referees Association, NRA officially makes public the death of a member in the Premier League cadre, Mr Okebukola Femi.

National Daily learnt that Okebukola’s last active action was the Week 4 NPFL match in Maiduguri, Borno State where he was the referee for the Elkanemi Warriors vs Nassarawa Utd of Lafia.

After the game, the match officials including others from Imo, Kaduna and Rivers States left Maidugri the next day.

While he boarded a vehicle from Kano to the South West part of the country, there was an accident on the Kano-Zaria road that claimed the lives of the passengers after the vehicle Summersault and got burnt.

Troubled by the development, the NRA has sent condolences to the family members and Oyo State Referees Council over the sad incident.

In a statement, president of the association, Otunba Tade Azeez described the news of Okebukola’s  death as shocking and unbelievable stating that it has thrown the entire referees family into grief as the association has lost one of its budding talents.

He said that the deceased was one of the new entrants into the premier  league promoted last season and expected to strengthen the list of referees in the premier cadre after retirement of aged ones.

Okebukola obtained his  Grade One in 2012 after he  joined Ibadan referees society in 2005, He is from Ona ara local govt of Oyo state.

The late arbiter before death was  the Secretary of Oluyole Referees Society. Married with children and was  Promoted to premier league in 2017/2018 season as a Referee.