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Nigerian Football

Hammer Falls on Pillars, Remo Stars and Katsina

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The League Management Company, LMC, has imposed varying sanctions on Kano Pillars and two of its players as well as Remo Stars and a goalkeeper of Enyimba following recent incidents that led to violence in the Nigerian league.

Sports Village Square recalls that last Sunday matches in Kano and also in Katsina had post match violence.

In Kano, fans rioted after the home team’s 1-0 loss to visiting Akwa United while in Katsina, the vehicle of Enyimba was attacked allegedly following a punching of a ball boy by the Enyimba goalkeeper.

As a result, the LMC through a press release sent by Harry Iwuala also found Remo Stars guilty for incidents that occurred on Match Day 15 in Shagamu.

According to the statement, Remo Stars was found guilty of breaches of Rules C.1.1, B13.18 and B13.52harassment of match officials, access to restricted area by unauthorised persons and assault on journalists by Remo Stars supporters.

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The league managers therefore imposed a cumulative fine of N2.5m on Remo Stars and restriction of fans from attending three home matches of Remo Stars with the last two suspended.

For harassment of match officials in their hotel rooms by supporters of the club, the Ikenne-based outfit was fined N500, 000, N1m for throwing of objects towards the field of play leading to delay of the match, N750, 000 for failing to ensure restriction of access to unauthorised persons to restricted area and compensation of N250, 000 for assault to sports journalists, Kelvin Ekerete.

For last Sunday’s violence, Kano Pillars’ team was adjudged to have violated

Rules B13.18 and C1 and fined a total of N7.25m as well as other consequential fines.

The Kano outfit will also play unspecified number of matches at home in empty stadium.

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The clubs has also been directed to identify and hand over to the Police for prosecution, its match security stewards who led the attack on match officials during the match fixture against Akwa United.

The fine against Kano Pillars includes N250, 000 as compensation to Dr. Tunde Akinbinu in addition to any certified medical bills arising from the attack on him by the club supporters after the match day 18 fixture against Akwa United.

It also includes N1m compensation to Akwa United for assault on members of the team in addition to any other certified medical bills, a fine of N3, 000,000.00 for conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute and deduction of three points, the execution of which shall be suspended for a probationary period of the remainder of the season.

In addition, Rabiu Ali and Murtala Adamu of Kano Pillars were also sanctioned for threatening of the referee and conducted themselves in a manner that was capable of inciting others to commit violence or misconduct which constituted a breach of Rule C1 and consequently suspended for one match.

In the Katsina United versus Enyimba fixture, Katsina United was fined N2.5m for violations of Rule B13.23, C18.6, C18.14 and B13.21.

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The fine included N500, 000 as compensation to Enyimba International and a cost to be determined for repair of their damaged vehicle.

The club is also to play the next three home matches behind closed doors two of which is suspended for a probationary period lasting the remainder of the season.

Katsina United was also placed on a suspended sanction of three points’ deduction for probationary period lasting the rest of the season. The sanction against Katsina United arose from incidents at the end of Match Day 17 fixture against Enyimba International.

Enyimba’s goalkeeper, Fatau Dauda was suspended for one match and fined N50, 000 for aggression towards a ball boy during their match against Katsina United.

Dauda was charged for breaches of Rules C11 and C1 which included assault on a ball boy and acts capable of inciting others to commit violence during their match day 18 fixture against Katsina United.

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The clubs and players were given 48 hours to submit in writing to the decisions of the LMC or elect to appear before a commission and for which further sanctions would be imposed should their appeals not be upheld.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Nigerian Football

 Rivers flow to the top!

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Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.

It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after  31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.  

Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.

Sunday Results

  • Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
  • Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
  • Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
  •  Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
  • Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
  •  Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
  •  Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
  •  Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United

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Nigerian Football

Enyimba’s duel with Katsina United plunges into darkness

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Former Nigerian champions, Enyimba were coasting to a comfortable 3-0 lead before the game got enveloped by darkness.

The game could not be completed after 75 minutes when the floodlights of the arena suddenly went off.

According to a post on Enymba x-handle, the match will resume at 8.00 am on Monday “ as agreed by both teams and the match officials.”

Sunday Results

  • Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
  • Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
  • Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
  •  Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
  • Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
  •  Rivers United 1-1 Akwa United
  •  Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
  •  Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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Nigerian Football

Amuneke’s Heartland secures first win this season

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Heartland finally got into winning ways on Sunday after the Owerri side secured a 2-0 win over Niger Tornadoes.

 The club, under former Super Eagles’ assistant coach, Emmanuel Amuneke had gone four matches without a win, finding themselves swimming in the murky waters of relegation.

A brace by Michael Ogu has lifted the club which climbed up to the 16th position. They had begun the season badly losing at home to Enyimba and failing to win any of the subsequent three matches.

Sunday Results

  • Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
  • Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
  • Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
  •  Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
  • Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
  •  Rivers United 1-1 Akwa United
  •  Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
  •  Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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