Players of Ranchers Bees FC of Kaduna on Friday in Abuja attacked centre referee Charles Ozigbo from Anambra State during their week 30 replay match in the Nigeria National League.
In the match played at the FIFA Goal Project pitch of the National Stadium, the attack came immediately after Ozigbo awarded a penalty kick to Kwara United FC.
This was in the 20th minute of the match scheduled to hold for only 28 minutes, after their earlier meeting had ended abruptly in the 62nd minute.
In this match slated to begin at 10am, the centre referee and the assistant referees were almost lynched but for the prompt intervention of security officials.
Ozigbo had a cut on his face and head and was taken out of the stadium in an ambulance, along with other officials.
The other officials are First Assistant Referee Eze Nwankwo, Second Assistant Referee Anozie John-Mary and the Match Commissioner Mohammed Manzo.
The match was thereafter abandoned as the Ranchers Bees players further unleashed their anger on some policemen and football fans around.
The decision to have the match’s remaining 28 minutes played was taken by the Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation.
Both teams had met in Kaduna on November 15, in a match crucial to both sides’ promotion chances, but it was abandoned in the 62nd minute at 2-2.
Violence had erupted some moments after hosts Ranchers Bees had drawn level from two goals down.
Kwara United FC of Ilorin had needed a win from the match to be promoted to the 2014/2015 Nigeria Professional Football League, with the Ranchers just needing a draw.