Referees picked to officiate in the 2017 AITEO Cup, which kicks off tomorrow, have been warned to perform creditably or have their names permanently struck off the list of officials in the country.
NFF Referees Committee chairman Yusuf Ahmed Fresh added that any referee found wanting could also face prosecution.
"The NFF Referees Committee has decided to go tough on erring referees," he told thenff.com.
"For several years, we worked very hard to try and get sponsors for the oldest football competition in this country, but could not for one reason or the other. Now that we have one in AITEO, we will do everything humanly possible to guard that relationship jealously.
"Any referee found to be involved in any shenanigans, or deemed to be outright incompetent or mischievous, will be summarily dealt with. We are tired of complaints about referees.
"We are ready to throw out as many as are found culpable, and will be ready to have only few competent and self-respecting persons take charge of matches."
Fresh also made it clear that only Nigeria's FIFA-badged and elite referees would be handed shifts in the AITEO Cup competition.
"Only the FIFA referees and elite referees would be involved. No National League or Nationwide League officials. We want the best arbiters available to take care of the matches and give credibility to the competition.
"The glamour of this much-loved competition must return in full force and in even greater glory."