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Unruly Behaviour: NPFL Slams N9m Fine on Katsina United, Banishes Club to ‘Empty’ Jos Stadium
The Nigeria Premier Football League has handed Katsina United a total fine of N9m and ordered them to play all remaining home games behind closed doors in Jos following incidents of violence during their 1–1 draw with Barau FC on Saturday, according to The Punch reports.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the league body charged Katsina United with multiple breaches of its Framework and Rules, including failure to provide adequate security and failure to control their supporters.
The league said unauthorised persons gained access to restricted areas, while fans also threw harmful objects onto the pitch, resulting in injuries to Barau FC players.
“The club failed to ensure proper conduct of their supporters leading to the harassment of Barau FC players and match officials,” the NPFL said.
“Furthermore, Katsina United supporters displayed conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute.”
The NPFL imposed a N3m fine for throwing objects, misconduct of supporters and bringing the league into disrepute, while another N2m penalty was issued for failure to provide effective security.
Katsina United were also ordered to pay N4m as compensation for medical treatment of injured players, damages to the away team’s buses, and for holding the visitors and match officials hostage after the match.
The total sanction amounts to N9m.
The league body directed that all subsequent home matches be played at the New Jos Stadium and without spectators. Katsina United have 48 hours from the date of the notice to appeal the decision.
The disciplinary action follows reports that Barau FC player Nana Abraham sustained a neck wound after being attacked by fans during the game at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium.
The incident reportedly occurred shortly after Barau equalised in the 69th minute, leading to chaos inside the ground. Photographs from Barau FC showed Abraham bleeding as officials intervened to restore order before the game eventually resumed and ended 1–1.
Before the NPFL verdict, Katsina United had denied reports of violence and any player injury, describing such claims as “entirely baseless”.
In a separate statement, the club’s media director, Nasir Gide, said the reports were “a deliberate attempt to tarnish the club’s image,” insisting that security operatives maintained order throughout the game.
“At no point during the match did any supporter gain access to the main pitch,” Gide said.
“Katsina United football club is committed to professionalism, discipline, and fair play both on and off the pitch.”
He added that the club had demanded a retraction from platforms that published the report and threatened legal action if corrections were not made.
Saturday’s unrest in Katsina comes just weeks after the NPFL sanctioned Kano Pillars for a similar violent incident in October, when fans invaded the pitch following a late equaliser against Shooting Stars in Kano.
The league fined the club N9.5m, imposed a points deduction, and closed the Sani Abacha Stadium indefinitely.
British Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on Monday announced his resignation, bringing an abrupt end to a premiership that began with Labour’s landslide general election victory in July 2024.
Starmer made the announcement in a statement outside 10 Downing Street, where he reflected on his time in office and defended his record in government.
“Every decision I have made has been about putting the country I love first,” Starmer said as he confirmed he would step down as both prime minister and leader of the governing Labour Party.
The resignation marks a dramatic political development in the United Kingdom, coming barely two years after Starmer led Labour back to power following more than a decade in opposition.
His departure is expected to trigger a swift leadership transition within the party at a time of heightened political uncertainty.
Addressing supporters gathered outside Downing Street, Starmer described entering No. 10 in 2024 as “the proudest moment” of his life, saying he entered politics with the goal of improving the lives of millions of people.
The outgoing prime minister also highlighted what he considered some of his key achievements, including rebuilding the Labour Party after years of internal divisions and restoring public confidence in the party’s economic and national security credentials.
Starmer said he inherited a Labour Party that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt” and faced repeated predictions that it was finished as a political force.
He argued that his leadership helped transform the party, including efforts to tackle anti-Semitism and reposition Labour as a credible alternative government.
His resignation has immediately intensified speculation over his successor. Attention has turned to Andy Burnham, who recently won the Makerfield by-election and is due to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament.
Political observers and Labour insiders believe Burnham could emerge as the overwhelming favourite to take over the party leadership. Some party members are already discussing the possibility of a “coronation” process in which Burnham becomes the sole candidate, avoiding a prolonged leadership contest.
If that scenario unfolds, Labour could have a new leader and prime minister in place by September, around the time of the party’s annual conference.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
