Match abandonment: LMC comes hard on Pillars; lose 3 points, banished to Abuja, pay heavy fines

Kano Pillars will lose three points for “repeated breaches of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Framework and Rules”.

The team have also been banished to MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja for their remaining home matches in the current season, while the Sani Abacha Stadium is indefinitely closed down to league games.

Kano Pillars have seven home matches remaining this season against Dakkada FC, Heartland, Kwara United, Rangers, Sunshine Stars, Shooting Stars and Wikki Tourists.

With the points deduction, Pillars will now be in 23 points from 23 matches, dropping to a place above the relegation zone at No 16.

“The controversial Kano Pillars v Katsina United match (abandoned at 0-0) will be continued from the 79th minute at the MKO Abiola Stadium at a date to be announced later. Pillars will bear the costs for concluding the game including that of the away team as determined by the League Management Company (LMC),” the statement by the LMC read.

This is in addition to a series of fines imposed on the club by the LMC for crowd disruption that led to the abandonment of their NPFL Matchday 23 fixture against Katsina United in Kano last Saturday.

The fines include N1 million for the misconduct of their supporters who threw objects onto the pitch during the match, N5 million for encroachment of the pitch by their supporters leading to the discontinuation of the match in the 79th minutes, N1 million for failing to provide adequate security, and another fine of a similar figure for allowing unauthorised persons access to restricted areas.

The club will further pay N1 million for the unsporting behaviour of their supporters.

Kano Pillars, the LMC ruled, would be responsible for the repair and/or replacement of the damaged bus of Katsina United, as well as certified belongings (of players and officials of the away team) either damaged or loss in the bus”.

Some supporters of the club further encroached onto the pitch leading to the match being discontinued. It was Pillars’ first game at their home ground – the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano – in two years.

Some of Pillars’ fans threw objects onto the pitch thereby leading to the disruption of the game.

LMC ruled that Kano Pillars failed to provide adequate security for the game which led to the breakdown of law and order at the stadium.

“Kano Pillars also failed to ensure that unauthorised persons didn’t gain access to restricted areas leading to harassment of match officials, the away team and disruption of the game.

“Furthermore, Kano Pillars supporters vandalised the bus of the away team and caused damage/loss of personal belongings of players and officials of the away team.

“Kano Pillars supporters have also been suspended indefinitely from league matches and the club will ensure full compliance of this order,” the verdict stated.

Kano Pillars have 21 days to pay all the fines and repair/replace the damaged bus as well as replace certified damaged/lost belongings of Katsina United, their players and officials.

Kano Pillars, the LMC further ruled, also face a forfeiture of three points from their accrued points in the event of any further similar breach of the league rules.

Kano Pillars have 48 hours from the date of the sanctions to appeal.