The Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has announced heavy sanctions against the Katsina United Football Club following the violent attack by the club’s supporters during their Matchday 12 fixture against Barau FC on Saturday.
According to a statement issued by the league organisers on Sunday, Katsina United were found guilty of “breaching the Framework & Rules of #NPFL26” after their fans stormed the pitch and assaulted Barau FC players and match officials.
The NPFL said the club “failed to provide adequate & effective security resulting in unauthorised persons gaining access to restricted areas.”
The statement added that Katsina United also “failed to ensure proper conduct of their supporters leading to the harassment of Barau FC players & match officials.”
The violent incident left several Barau FC players injured after “supporters of Katsina Utd threw harmful objects onto the pitch,” forcing officials to halt the game.
The league condemned the actions, describing them as “conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute.”
As punishment, Katsina United have been banished to play all their subsequent home matches in Jos “and behind closed doors.”
In addition, the NPFL slammed the club with a ₦9 million total fine — ₦3 million for “throwing objects towards the pitch, failing to ensure proper conduct of their supporters & bringing the game into disrepute,” ₦2 million for “failing to provide adequate & effective security,” and another ₦4 million “as compensation for treatment of injuries, damages to the away team’s buses, and for holding the match officials & away team hostage for hours after the match.”
The statement concluded that “Katsina Utd have 48 hours within the date of the notice to appeal the sanctions.”
The ruling follows widespread outrage over the attack, during which Barau FC confirmed that one of their players, Nana Abraham, was left with a neck injury after being attacked by fans moments after scoring the equalizing goal.
The violence broke out moments after Barau’s Orji Kalu scored a 69th-minute equaliser to make the game 1-1, a development that appeared to infuriate some Katsina United supporters at the stadium.
Barau FC, confirming the attack in a post on its official X handle, wrote:
“70’ The match is temporarily halted following an attack on Barau FC player, Nana Abraham.
Katsina United | 1-1 | Barau FC
#MaliyaBoysTogetherForVictory #KatBar #NPFL26.”
Just a minute earlier, the club had celebrated the equaliser with another post that read:
“69’ Goal Orji Kalu level the scores.
Katsina United | 1-1 | Barau FC.”
A disturbing picture obtained by SaharaReporters shows Nana Abraham bleeding from a visible neck wound, as officials and teammates struggled to control the chaos on the pitch.
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