- Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) has been slammed with a ₦5 million fine by the NPFL following crowd trouble after their draw with Ikorodu City in Ibadan.
- The Nigeria Premier Football League has also banned fans from attending games at the Lekan Salami Stadium for the remainder of the season.
- NPFL found 3SC guilty on three counts: poor security, lack of crowd control, and unsafe conditions for officials and opponents.
Trouble flared in Ibadan last weekend, April 5, both on and off the pitch, and the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) have come down hard on Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) following chaotic scenes that marred their goalless draw with Ikorodu City.
The NPFL on Wednesday, April 9, confirmed that the club had been fined a total of ₦5 million for multiple breaches related to fan misconduct and security failure at the Lekan Salami Stadium. The punishment also includes a stadium ban for the rest of the 2024/25 season, a major blow for the Ibadan-based side.
The incident occurred after the tightly contested Southwest derby ended without goals, sparking fury among a section of 3SC fans.
Players and officials of Ikorodu City were reportedly held within the stadium for their safety as an irate crowd gathered outside. Nigerian Army personnel were eventually deployed to help escort the away team out of the volatile environment.
Despite denying that their fans held anyone hostage, 3SC claimed in an official statement that keeping both teams inside was a “safety measure” due to the chaos outside. The club also rejected claims that Ikorodu City players or officials were attacked or that their bus was damaged.
However, Ikorodu City’s media director, Samuel Bamisebi, painted a different picture. He confirmed that the team had to remain locked inside to avoid a direct confrontation with the angry crowd.
He also reported that a bus used by Ikorodu City supporters, which had travelled from Lagos, was damaged by rampaging 3SC fans.
Following its investigation, the NPFL found 3SC guilty of three key infractions: failure to provide adequate security, failure to control supporters, and endangering match officials and opponents through disorderly conduct.
The league imposed a ₦1 million fine for each offence, with an additional ₦2 million compensation for the vandalised bus.
This is not the first time the Lekan Salami Stadium has faced scrutiny for security lapses, and the NPFL’s decision to bar fans from attending games there for the rest of the season sends a strong message.
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