Sports
NPFL Impose Fines On Kwara United Over Fans Misconduct
THE Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has imposed heavy sanctions on Kwara United FC following serious breaches of the league’s framework and rules during their re-arranged Match Day 22 fixture against Rivers United.
The Ilorin-based club was found guilty of failing to provide adequate and effective security, which allowed unauthorised persons to gain access to restricted areas.
In line with NPFL regulations, Kwara United has been fined N2 million for failing to provide adequate security and N1 million for failing to control their supporters.
An additional N2 million fine was imposed for assaults on match officials and Rivers United officials, alongside N1 million for unsporting behaviour. The club will also pay N1 million for holding match officials and Rivers United staff hostage for several hours after the game, and N2 million as compensatory costs for treatment and damages.
Beyond financial penalties totalling N10 million, Kwara United will suffer a deduction of three points and three goals from their accrued tally.
The club has also been ordered to play its remaining home fixtures at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Meanwhile, officials of Kwara United FC have condemned the attack on match officials in the encounter that ended 1-1. Violence erupted off the pitch moments after the final whistle, as unruly elements stormed restricted areas, and allegedly attacked top league officials, including the Chairman of Chairmen of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chief Okey Kpalukwu, and officials of River United FC.
The incident now casts a dark cloud over the NPFL season, raising fresh concerns about crowd control, stadium security, and the growing tension surrounding high-stakes domestic fixtures.
Eyewitness accounts described the scenes as “serious” as security personnel struggled to contain the situation, with officials and members of the visiting delegation hurriedly escorted out.
What began as frustration over the match result quickly spiralled into a chaotic spectacle that overshadowed the league match itself.
The Ilorin-based side, which distanced itself from what it described as the actions of “irrational elements,” however, pledged to identify and bring the culprits to book.
“We deeply regret the distress caused to all parties involved and extend our sincere and unreserved apologies to Chief Okey Kpalukwu, the Rivers United delegation, match officials, security personnel, and innocent spectators affected by these deplorable events,” the Club said.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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