The leadership of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) has suspended the registration of Plateau United goalkeeper Adeyinka Adewale following allegations of betting leveled against him by his club.

 

In a letter signed by NPFL Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi, the league informed Adewale of his immediate suspension from player registration due to an ongoing investigation into insider betting allegations. The suspension is tied to claims by Plateau United FC, who alleged that the goalkeeper refused to sign a contract with a new club due to a clause that permitted immediate termination in the event of betting violations.

 

“This has reinforced our conviction that the allegation leveled against you…should be treated with utmost seriousness and urgency,” Owumi stated.

 

He further referenced Article 15.5 Section B of the NPFL Framework and Rules, which strictly prohibits players from any form of betting. Violations are punishable under Section C, and Adewale will be required to present a defense during the course of the investigation.

 

“Be informed that involving in any sort of betting in games that you are involved in diminishes the integrity of the league and brings the game to disrepute,” Owumi warned.

 

This may be the first time a registered NPFL player is facing formal betting-related sanctions, but concerns over betting and match manipulation are growing within Nigerian football.

 Other Nigerian Players Linked to Betting Scandals

MADUKA Okoye – Under Investigation in Italy

Club: Udinese (Serie A)

Allegation: Italian authorities currently investigated and suspended Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye over suspicions that he bet on himself to receive a yellow card during a match against Lazio on March 11, 2024.

He was booked for time-wasting in the 64th minute. While such bookings are common, prosecutors believe the act was premeditated as part of a broader betting scheme. The case involves local businessman Diego Giordano, suspected of facilitating the arrangement. Suspicious betting patterns were flagged by betting company Sisal, sparking the investigation.

Sam Sodje – £70,000 for a Red Card

Former Clubs: Reading, Portsmouth

In 2013, Sam Sodje was secretly filmed by undercover reporters from The Sun on Sunday claiming he earned £70,000 for deliberately punching an opponent to receive a red card in a League One game.

He also claimed to have:

• Paid players to receive yellow cards

• Planned to manipulate 2014 FIFA World Cup games

• Involved his brother Akpo Sodje and others

His actions led to criminal investigations and severely damaged his reputation.

Plateau United Feeders & Police Machine – 146-Goal Scandal

 

In one of the most notorious cases of match-fixing, Plateau United Feeders beat Akurba FC 79-0, while Police Machine FC thrashed Bubayaro FC 67-0 during 2013 promotion playoffs.

• 72 goals scored in one second half

• 14 goals scored by a single player

• 4 goals in one minute in another match

 

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) responded by banning all four teams for 10 years and issuing lifetime bans to corrupt match officials.

Hakeem Adelakun – Cleared, But Stained

Linked to a UK match-fixing investigation in 2013, Adelakun was arrested alongside three others during a sting operation by The Telegraph and Sun on Sunday.

Though Adelakun was cleared, three others were jailed for bribery:

• Michael Boateng – 18 months

• Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan & Chann Sankaran – 5 years each

The case left a blemish on Adelakun’s career, despite his eventual exoneration. He currently plays for Salford City in England’s League Two.

The recent suspension of Adeyinka Adewale signals a serious shift in the NPFL’s approach to betting violations. While such scandals have historically been more common abroad or at lower levels, the growing trend of allegations involving Nigerian players—both locally and internationally—suggests that match-fixing and betting manipulation remain serious threats to the integrity of the sport