CHAOS IN KANO: VIOLENCE ERUPTS AT SANI ABACHA STADIUM AS KANO PILLARS FANS ATTACK REFEREES AND SHOOTING STARS PLAYERS AFTER DRAMATIC 94TH-MINUTE EQUALISER

Pandemonium broke out at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on Sunday evening after a dramatic end to the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 8 encounter between Kano Pillars and Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan.

The chaos erupted moments after Shooting Stars netted a shocking 94th-minute equaliser, forcing a 1–1 draw and dashing the hopes of the home side, Kano Pillars.

According to reports, furious Kano Pillars supporters invaded the pitch in protest, violently assaulting the referee, match officials, and Shooting Stars players. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, prompting security operatives to fire teargas to disperse the mob and restore order.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as “total confusion,” as enraged fans broke through security barriers and charged at the officials. In terrifying moments captured in photos and videos obtained by the press, dozens of supporters were seen wielding sticks and dangerous objects, chasing officials who fled toward the tunnel for safety.

The confrontation reportedly began moments after the equaliser, with sections of the home crowd accusing the referee of bias and poor officiating.

“It was total confusion. Once Shooting Stars scored, the fans lost control. They jumped the barriers, ran into the pitch, and started chasing the referee. Security had to fire teargas to push them back,” a journalist who witnessed the incident recounted.

Several match officials and players were said to have narrowly escaped physical assault as they fled the pitch, while both teams’ coaching staff were forced to abandon the technical area amid the unrest.

This latest incident adds to a worrying pattern of violence in the Nigerian domestic league.

In April 2024, Shooting Stars supporters had also caused chaos at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan after a goalless draw with Ikorodu City FC. During that episode, angry fans held players, coaches, referees, and journalists hostage for over an hour before military intervention restored calm.

Confirming the incident at the time, Samuel Bamisebi, spokesperson for Ikorodu City FC, revealed how security forces rescued those trapped in the dressing rooms.

“As you saw in the viral video, the players, coaches and officials were held hostage inside the dressing room after the game. Even the referee and other officials, as well as some journalists,” Bamisebi said.

He continued:

“The management later called for reinforcement, and it took the intervention of some military personnel deployed before everyone was able to leave. The military came to disperse the crowd, and everyone left unharmed.”

Although no official or player was injured during that Ibadan incident, fans of Ikorodu City FC were attacked, with one sustaining injuries and several others losing their belongings.

“It was our fans that were attacked. Their bus was destroyed, and one of them was injured during the process. Many of them lost their phones. When they took their phones out to record what happened, they got snatched, and they lost them,” Bamisebi added.

He also dismissed rumours that the stadium lights were deliberately turned off to intimidate the visiting side, explaining that the blackout affected the entire facility.

“On the issue of the light being switched off, I think it was not targeted at us. The lights were switched off throughout the entire stadium, not just in our dressing rooms. None of our players and officials were injured,” he clarified.

Sunday’s violent scenes in Kano have reignited calls for the Nigeria Premier Football League Board (NPFLB) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to take tougher measures against clubs whose fans engage in hooliganism.

Football analysts and stakeholders are urging stricter security regulations, heavier fines, and possible stadium bans to prevent a recurrence of such disgraceful spectacles that tarnish the image of Nigerian football both domestically and internationally.

As of press time, neither Kano Pillars nor the NPFL board has issued an official statement regarding the incident, but i nvestigations are reportedly underway.