Julius OkorieCan fines and stadium closure stop incessant fracas at our match venues or are we to seek stiffer measures to arrest the menace?
That is the question in the minds of league stakeholders in the country after El-kanemi Warriors became the latest to be slammed with fine and Stadium ban on Wednesday.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Maiduguri-based side were handed a ₦3.5 million fine following crowd control issues during their Matchday 34 game against Ikorodu City that ended 1-1 in Maiduguri on Sunday.
In addition, the Maiduguri Stadium has been placed under lock and keys to fans for the remainder of the 2024-2025 season, according to a statement on the league’s official website on Wednesday, 23 April.
The statement reads: “El-Kanemi Warriors has been sanctioned by the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) for security breaches, including failure to ensure the sporting conduct of their supporters during the Matchday 34 fixture against Ikorodu City. The sanctions range from monetary fines to an order of the stadium to fans for the rest of the season.
READ ALSO:Nasarawa United Fined ₦6 million, Banished To Gombe For Home Games
“In a Summary Jurisdiction notice issued to the club following rowdy incidents before and at the end of the match in Maiduguri, the club was charged for breaches of Rules B13.52, C9 and B13:18 of the Frameworks and Rules of the NPFL.
“For failure to provide adequate and effective security, which resulted in unauthorised persons gaining access to restricted areas and harassing the match officials, the club was fined N1 million.
“El-Kanemi Warriors also got slammed with a N1 million fine for their supporters’ act of throwing objects onto the field of play, while another fine of N1 million was also imposed on the club for failure to ensure the proper conduct of their supporters, which resulted in damage to the away team’s vehicle.
“The club is to pay N500,000 to Ikorodu City for damages to their vehicle. The last of the rulings on the incident is an order for the club to implement a more effective match-day security framework and crowd control measures, details of which must be submitted to the NPFL within seven working days of the date of this notice. In accordance with Rule C26, the club is required to through a written response, indicate acceptance of the ruling or elect to appear before a disciplinary panel.”
The El-kanemi Warriors saga is coming just few days after Nasarawa United was served the same pill after fans of the club invaded the pitch and a fan stabbed Plateau United Striker, Vincent Temitope, at the Lafia Township stadium.
El Kanemi Warriors FC have gone winless in their last seven league games, a poor run of form that has seen them drop from 8th to 16th place, just two points above the relegation zone.
In continuation of the league and their nearly lost battle against relegation, El-kanami Warriors will next face Bayelsa United in Matchday 35 clash in on Sunday, just as Akwa United host Ikorodu City.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
