The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) continues despite Wednesday’s court order for it to be suspended. The League Management Company (LMC) announced this in a statement uploaded on its website and that of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday morning. The statement reads:

“The League Management Company (LMC) has been inundated with sundry calls and enquirers regarding a piece of news being circulated that Plateau State High Court, Jos, has made an order stopping Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) until the reinstatement of Giwa FC to the League.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, LMC states categorically, that it has not been served with any such order and is consequently unable to comment on this matter. If such an order is at any time in the future produced or served on it by due process of law, LMC wishes all our Clubs, footballers, fans, partners and all Nigerians to be reassured that it shall take all steps appropriate in the circumstances to protect the integrity of the NPLF.

“Accordingly, the LMC states that the operation of. NPFL proceeds apace as scheduled and unhindered in any manner whatsoever.”

News Express reports that a Plateau State High Court sitting in Bukuru, near Jos, pronounced the NPFL suspended indefinitely pending when the LMC fully complies with its earlier order reinstating Giwa FC to the league.

Justice I. I. Kunda in his ruling delivered at the high court decried the tactics being employed by the counsel to the LMC, Olumide Olujimi, which he said was to delay the case knowing full well that the Nigerian league is time-bound. He said the counsel was hoping that the league would have effectively ended before the case is determined.

The judge declared the case adjourned sine die, but also told the defendants that they could continue with their appeal at the appellate court if they so wished.

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