The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has imposed tough sanctions on Kano Pillars following the violent scenes that marred their Match Day 8 encounter against Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC).
The chaos erupted on Sunday at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, after 3SC scored a late equalizer. Enraged home fans stormed the pitch, attacking match officials and some players from the visiting team. The situation quickly spiraled out of control until security operatives fired teargas to disperse the mob and rescue those under attack.
In a statement released on Monday by NPFL’s Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, Kano Pillars were found guilty of several serious violations — including failure to ensure adequate security, lack of crowd control, and allowing supporters to invade the pitch and assault both referees and players.
As a result, the NPFL deducted three points and three goals from the club’s total tally and issued a total fine of ₦9.5 million for various breaches.
According to the league body:
“The club has been fined ₦1 million each for failing to provide adequate and effective security, throwing dangerous objects onto the pitch, failing to ensure proper conduct of their supporters, and engaging in acts capable of bringing the game to disrepute — totaling ₦4 million.”
Additional penalties include:
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₦2 million fine for the assault on 3SC players and match officials.
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₦2 million compensation for the treatment and damages suffered by Shooting Stars players and referees.
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₦1.5 million as compensatory payment of ₦250,000 to each match official assaulted.
Beyond the monetary sanctions, the Sani Abacha Stadium has been closed indefinitely for Kano Pillars’ home matches. The club will now play the remainder of the season’s home games in Katsina State.
The NPFL further instructed the club to identify and present the perpetrators involved in the violence and provide proof of their prosecution. Kano Pillars must also submit a new comprehensive matchday security plan to the league within seven days.
This is not the first time the club has faced such disciplinary measures. Despite being one of Nigeria’s most successful football sides, Kano Pillars have been repeatedly punished for crowd trouble. Since 2019, they have accumulated over ₦36 million in fines related to fan violence — including several incidents in 2022, when supporters invaded the pitch during a clash with Akwa United, which also led to a points deduction.
