June 28, (THEWILL) – When the irate mob of fans at the venue of a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) fixture between hosts Plateau United and visitors Enyimba FC of Aba invaded the pitch to attack players and crew, the ugly scenes were painfully reminiscent of what may be becoming an unhealthy staple of the domestic game.
On Sunday, these renewed acts of violence directed at Enyimba left some players requiring immediate medical attention after the visitors held the Plateau United side to a goalless draw in Jos, in a Matchday 29 fixture. Two squad members of the Aba-based club, midfielder Dare Olatunji and goalkeeper Sabirou Bassa-Djeri were left bleeding.
THEWILL recalls that on Sunday, June 13, Ahmed Musa’s Kano Pillars clashed against Akwa United in a top of the table fixture at a Matchday 27 tie that was played at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kakuri, Kaduna. The football was marred by violence due to the pitch invasion for the disallowed goal after the referee struck off a late Pillars’ goal against Akwa United because of an offside call.
As a consequence the match was suspended forthwith with the matching officials ceding the remaining three minutes of regulation time. The league allowed the remaining minutes to be played and completed the following day, which was Monday.
Although by way of disciplinary action, the League Management Committee (LMC) fined Pillars N2.5 million for the behaviour of their fans on Matchday 27, it appears that sum, which is supposed to be a deterring factor against the repetition of these kinds of ugly acts in domestic football, has not achieved its purpose.
This recent Sunday’s chaos erupted in the 90th minute, at the very end of regulation time. The referee sent off Enyimba defender, Timothy Danladi for a red card offence. However, Danladi was pelted with injurious objects by angry fans as he made his way out of the stadium. Appeals for them to stop by Fatai Osho, the Enyimba manager, were snubbed.
To worsen the already disturbing situation, an incident in the box of the Enyimba side led the Plateau team to scream for a penalty but the referee was having none of it and instead waved for play to continue. This action further incensed the home fans, who saw it as a lost chance to grab a win from a tight encounter against a tough opponent.
It turned out to be the boiling point, as fans who could not take it any longer, rushed headlong into the pitch and chased after the match officials. It took the intervention of security details on duty to keep the referee and his assistants from significant harm. They were kept protected in the centre of the pitch and cordoned off the pitch invaders.
More pleas for understanding and an end to the violence from Plateau United captain, Elisha Golbe, and his teammates were essentially fruitless because the adamant mob did not restrain from the intention to cause harm. They continued to aim objects at the Enyimba players, who were making their way out of the pitch.
Unsatisfied with the violence they had caused for the visitors, the angry fans turned their ire to Abdu Maikaba, Plateau United coach and manager of their home team. They blamed him for the failure of the team to defeat Enyimba and directed their unspent anger at him.
These unconscionable actions cannot continue as the Super Eagles captain, Musa, wrote after the Kaduna incident involving his club Kano Pillars: “In as much as I commend officials who handle games in the leagues across Nigeria, it is imperative to add that a lot still needs to be done to keep our football growing to the heights it deserves.
“There are a lot of areas that need to be worked on so that players can be at their optimal best and play football as it should be in accordance with the laws of the game where fair play is enshrined by all and sundry.
“It is time every stakeholder is involved and with pure intent, to keep raising the level of the game. That is the mindset and the vision I had when I decided to come back home and play.”
As is the practice, the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will investigate this ugly repeat of pitch invasion and slam fines on those responsible for the lapses in stadium security that led to the injury of footballers and crew but THEWILL holds that it is imperative to go beyond fining to have a discussion about the officiating and the level of tolerance and understanding required of fans in the domestic game.
Such scenes cannot be a part of the system that is being developed to attract investors and bring as much viewership that will help the League grow profitably and become a football force on the continent and beyond. For that purpose, the act of fan violence must be brought to a conclusive end as early as possible before it goes beyond control.
Players who earn their living representing their clubs cannot perform their duties to the best of their abilities if they have to consider doing that may be at the expense of bodily harm and possibly something worse tomorrow if this continues. Football teams who are cash-strapped cannot be regularly placed under the burden of fines that could be used to improve their football.
It is an unsustainable system and requires an all-encompassing discussion to address all loopholes in developing the local game and in bringing along the fans for a more wholesome appreciation of a way out of such violent disruptions to a more mutually satisfying domestic football.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
