Pitch Invasion: NPFL Deducts 3 points, 3 goals from Kano Pillars
Sani Abacha Stadium has been shut against Kano Pillars and their fans following the pitch invasion occasioning chaotic scenes and attack on match officials and players of Shooting Stars.
Some match officials in the Matchday 8 fixture between Kano Pillars and Shooting Stars, as well as two of the match officials in the Nasarawa United versus Rangers have all been recommended for a review of performance. The NPFL requested that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) reappraise their suitability to handle further NPFL games.
While announcing the decisions in letters communicated to the clubs and the NFF, Davidson Owumi, the Chief Operating Officer of the league, said that the NPFL will continue to maintain the policy of zero tolerance for any form of violence.
“We will invoke the rules wherever and whenever required to keep bad behaviour of fans, players and officials out of the league”, he vowed.
In a summary jurisdiction less than 24 hours after the incident, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) announced a deduction of three goals and three points from the already accumulated points and goals of the club.
The points deduction is for breach of Rule C1.1, addressing assault on away team and match officials. The stadium will remain shut for their home games for the rest of the season and Muhammad Dikko Stadium in Katsina will host their home fixtures.
A sleuth of financial sanctions was also imposed on Kano Pillars, a club that commands huge but volatile fan base. For failure to provide adequate security which led to access to restricted area to unauthorised persons in breach of Rule B13.52, the club has been fined N1m.
Similarly, the club was found to have breached Rule C9 when it failed to ensure proper conduct of its supporters leading to harassment of away team players and match officials. For this, the club was fined another N1m.
Pillars supporters were also adjudged to have thrown objects on to the field of play and at the away team players and match officials in breach of Rule B13.18. This attracted a fine of N1m.
The NPFL cited Kano Pillars supporters for acts that brought the league to disrepute in breach of Rule C1.1 and was fined N1m. Another N2m was imposed as fine for assault on the away team and match officials.
Furthermore, a fine of N2m was also imposed as compensation payment to players of Shooting Stars while N1.5m will be paid as restitution for the beating of match officials.
The NPFL in a separate letter to the NFF Match Officials Appointment Committee requested a review of performance and stepping down of centre referee, Mohammed B Tuta of Adamawa State referees council and the assistant referees, Bem Japhet (Benue) and Shehu Isah (Adamawa).
For the match between Nasarawa United and Rangers, the NPFL are also requesting for the review of performance of centre referee Ikechukwu Taiwo of the Rivers State Referees Coucil and his assistant, Usman Opeyemi Edward from Osun State.
Kano Pillars reserves the right to appeal these decisions and could attract additional sanctions should the appeal fail.
