LMC lifts 12-match ban on Pillars’ captain, Rabiu Ali

The League Management Company, LMC, yesterday lifted the 12-match banned it slammed on the inspirational captain of Kano Pillars football club, Rabiu Ali.

The LMC had handed Ali the ban following his unwholesome behaviour that instigated crowd disturbances and assault on referees in one of the fixtures of

Matchday 4 of the NPFL Super 6 championship held in Lagos in June 2019.

The letter lifting the suspension which was made available to Daily Trust reads “Upon review of the matter, and having considered your past record in the league and the national teams coupled with the community service you rendered recently as directed by the LMC, the remaining period of your ban is hereby commuted to a suspended sentence with effect from MatchDay 6 of the season.

“You are required as part of the commutation to contribute to community engagement and development, including visiting schools to promote the good virtues associated with the game of football.

We trust that you will, by your acts and conducts, set good example for others going forward.”

Going by this development, Ali who has already missed four matches played so far by Pillars will return to action when the struggling ‘masu gida’ boys travel to Plateau United on Sunday.

According to the media officer of the club Rilwanu Idris Malikawa, the chairman of the club Alhaji Surajo Shaaibu Yahaya has expressed gratitude to the LMC for considering the plea to lift the ban and assured that the club would remain ‘ abiding in all its engagements’.

Meanwhile, Ali in his reaction thanked Allah for enabling him to accept in good faith what happened to him.

‘Pele’ as he is popularly called thanked the LMC, Kano Pillars fans and all those who sympathised with him during his trying moment.