The Group Managing Director (GMD) of GTI Group, Abubakar Lawal, has expressed shock and sadness over the demise of Dr. Kingsley Nnaemeka Eneogwe, a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) referee who died in a fatal road accident on his way back home after successfully handling a league game involving Nasarawa United and Plateau United in Kaduna in a Match Day 5 encounter concluded recently.
Reacting to his death, Lawal said the death of the Abia State-certified FIFA-graded referee and also a practicing medical doctor came at a time when efforts were being put in place by GTI and other stakeholders of Nigerian football to restructure the Nigerian League. He further added with a tinge of regret that the services of late Eneogwe will be greatly missed.
“On behalf of the entire staff and management of GTI Group I want to send our sincere condolences to the family of Dr.Kingsley Nnaemeka Eneogwe who died following a fatal motor accident on his way back to his base in Abia State.
“His death came to us as a rude shock and we pray that God will grant his soul an eternal rest. We also commensurate with his dependants and pray that God should grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. The late referee was very diligent to his duties and was a source of inspiration to other upcoming referees in Nigeria,” Lawal stated.
Lawal also extended his heart-felt sympathy to the Nigeria Premier Football League body, Interim Management Committee (IMC) and the Nigeria Football Federation over the demise of the late referee.
Eneogwe was an Assistant Referee 1, in that explosive NPFL game which Nasarawa United lost narrowly by 1-2 to visiting Plateau United played at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Kaduna, on February 1, 2023.