The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and Nasarawa United have been found responsible for the death of footballer Chineme Martins, who collapsed and died during a league match in March 2020.
Martins, 25 at the time, was representing Nasarawa United in a Nigerian Professional Football League fixture when he tragically lost his life on the pitch.
The incident sparked outrage and an official inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the player’s death, eventually leading to a landmark legal ruling.
In a judgment delivered by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, the club and the NFF were held accountable for their roles in the incident.
The court placed particular blame on the match commissioner, the league authorities, and the Nigerian Football Federation for what it described as gross negligence in the events that led to the player’s death.
The global footballers’ union FIFPro made the court’s ruling public on Thursday through an official statement, confirming that the judgment had found both the federation and the club guilty of failing in their duty of care.
As part of the court’s decision, Nasarawa United have been ordered to compensate the family of the late Chineme Martins.
The specific details of the compensation have not yet been disclosed, but the ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing calls for improved safety and emergency medical standards in Nigerian football.
Martins’ death in 2020 drew widespread criticism of the lack of adequate emergency medical facilities at league venues.
Eyewitnesses and reports at the time suggested that emergency response efforts during the incident were both slow and uncoordinated, with delays in transporting the player to a medical facility ultimately proving fatal.
In the wake of the tragedy, stakeholders within Nigerian football had promised reforms to improve on-field medical response and ensure that teams are better prepared for emergencies.
However, progress has been slow, and the court’s ruling now puts renewed pressure on both the federation and clubs to uphold higher standards of player welfare.
FIFPro, which has consistently advocated for better working conditions and protections for footballers globally, welcomed the court’s decision.
In its statement, the organisation expressed hope that this verdict would serve as a catalyst for long-overdue reforms in the Nigerian league system.
The union further highlighted that the ruling underscores the legal responsibilities of football administrators, not only to ensure safe working environments for athletes but also to uphold the integrity of the sport by prioritising the health and safety of its players.
The judgment has been seen by many as a watershed moment for football governance in Nigeria. With the authorities now held legally accountable, attention is turning to how the NFF and Nasarawa United will implement the court’s directives and what broader structural changes will follow.
For Martins’ family, the ruling brings some measure of justice five years after his tragic death. But for Nigerian football, it serves as a stark reminder that the price of negligence can be the loss of a young life — and that accountability must never be an afterthought.
