The Nigeria Premier Football League has handed Katsina United a total fine of N9 million 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.
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. It added that Katsina United supporters displayed conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute.
The NPFL imposed a N3 million fine for throwing objects, misconduct of supporters, and bringing the league into disrepute, while another N2 million penalty was issued for failure to provide effective security.
Katsina United were also ordered to pay N4 million 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 N9 million.
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 N9.5 million, imposed a points deduction, and closed the Sani Abacha Stadium indefinitely.
