Kwara United docked points, fined N9m for ‘holding referees hostage’ at NPFL game

The board of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has imposed a points deduction on Kwara United for breaching several league rules during their match against Rivers United. 

On Wednesday, Kwara United hosted Rivers United in one of the rescheduled NPFL matches. The fixture was initially scheduled for mid-January, but Rivers’ engagement in the CAF Champions League necessitated its postponement.

The match in Ilorin, Kwara’s capital, was halted for a considerable time by crowd violence before it was resumed and concluded 1-1.

In its ruling on the violent episode during the match, NPFL docked three points and goals from Kwara United for the “assault on match officials”.

The league body then handed the team a cumulative fine of N9 million for offences ranging from providing inadequate security to “holding the match officials & Rivers Utd hostage for several hours after the match”.

The club was also banished from its stadium and will play the rest of its home NPFL games at the MKO Abiola Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun.

Kwara United are also directed to identify the fans who assaulted the referees and the opponents for prosecution.

Kwara United are currently battling relegation and sit 19th on the table with the recent points deduction.