Dauda banned for assaulting ball boy

Goalkeeper Fatau Dauda has received a one-match ban in the Nigerian league for an alleged aggressive behaviour towards a ball boy in that league.

Dauda, who plays for Enyimba, was charged with "aggression towards a ball boy" in their match against Katsina United over the weekend, which Enyimba lost by two goals to one.

The Ghanaian goalie is alleged to have punched the ball boy during the game in an attempt to retrieve the ball from him. According to the Nigerian League Management Company (LMC), Dauda behaved in a manner capable of inciting violence.

"Enyimba’s goalkeeper, Fatau Dauda, was suspended for one match and fined N50,000 for aggression towards a ball boy during their match against Katsina United. Dauda was charged for breaches of Rules C11 and C1 which included assault on a ball boy and acts capable of inciting others to commit violence during their Matchday 18 fixture against Katsina United," the LMC said in a statement.

Katsina United, whose fans attacked Enyimba players after the game, were fined N2.5 million with half million compensation to Enyimba.

Enyimba, however, said the allegation against Dauda is a “misrepresentation of facts”.

“Dauda is a seasoned professional and a Ghana international who has represented his country at the World Cup, the biggest footballing stage in the world. He has maintained his innocence of any wrongdoing from the first, and the video evidence supports his claim.

In light of this, Enyimba Football Club demands that the unsportsmanlike and violent conduct of fans of Katsina United be condemned outright for what it is: a brutal and violent assault on our team. This misrepresentation of facts, that the action of goalkeeper Dauda is somehow responsible for the brutality meted out to our players and officials, is not only disgraceful but unacceptable,” Enyimba said in a statement.