The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has announced the deduction of three points and three goals from Kano Pillars following pitch invasion by fans occasioning chaotic scenes and attack on match officials and players of Shooting Stars on Sunday at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano on Sunday.
The Matchday 8 fixture of the 2025/26 of the NPFL ended 1-1.
In seven matches, including that of Sunday, Pillars have acquired only seven points, scored five and conceded six goals, to be placed at No. 17 on the log, top of the bottom four teams.
In a summary jurisdiction less than 24 hours after the incident, the NPFL also shut the stadium against Kano Pillars and their fans.
According to a statement on Monday, the NPFL also said that some match officials, as well as two of the match officials in the Nasarawa United versus Rangers game on the same day have all been recommended for a review of their performance.
The NPFL requested that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should reappraise their suitability to handle further NPFL games.
While announcing the decisions in letters communicated to the clubs and the NFF, lNPFL’s Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi said that the NPFL would continue to maintain the policy of zero tolerance for any form of violence.
‘We will invoke the rules wherever and whenever required to keep bad behaviour of fans, players and officials out of the league’, he vowed.
Kano Pillars’ points deduction is for the breach of Rule C1.1, addressing assault on away team and match officials, the NPFL said.
It said that Sani Abacha Stadium would remain shut for Kano Pillars’ home games for the rest of the season, while banishing the club to the Muhammad Dikko Stadium in Katsina for their home fixtures.
A sleuth of financial sanctions was also imposed on Kano Pillars, a club that commands huge but volatile fan base.
For failure to provide adequate security which led to access to restricted area to unauthorised persons in breach of Rule B13.52, the club has been fined N1 million.
Similarly, the club was found to have breached Rule C9 when it failed to ensure proper conduct of its supporters leading to harassment of away team players and match officials. For this, the club was fined another N1 million.
Pillars supporters were also adjudged to have thrown objects on to the field of play and at the away team players and match officials in breach of Rule B13.18. This attracted a fine of N1 million.
The NPFL cited Kano Pillars supporters for acts that brought the league to disrepute in breach of Rule C1.1 and was fined N1 million. Another N2 million was imposed as fine for assault on the away team and match officials.
Furthermore, a fine of N2 million was imposed as compensation payment to players of Shooting Stars while N1.5 million is to be paid as restitution for the beating of match officials.
NPFL said that Kano Pillars reserve the right to appeal the decisions and could attract additional sanctions should the appeal fail.
In a separate letter to the NFF Match Officials Appointment Committee, the NPFL requested a review of performance and stepping down of centre referee, Mohammed B. Tuta of Adamawa State referees council and the assistant referees, Bem Japhet (Benue) and Shehu Isah (Adamawa).
For the match between Nasarawa United and Rangers, the NPFL has also requested for the review of performance of centre referee Ikechukwu Taiwo of the Rivers State Referees Coucil and his assistant, Usman Opeyemi Edward from Osun State.
