Violence erupted at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on Sunday evening after Shooting Stars (3SC) of Ibadan scored a dramatic 94th-minute equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw against Kano Pillars in a Matchday 8 fixture of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL).
Shortly after the goal, furious home supporters invaded the pitch, assaulting the referee, match officials, and Shooting Stars players. Security operatives fired teargas to restore order as chaos spread through the stands.
Images from the scene showed dozens of fans wielding sticks and other objects, breaking through the security cordon and chasing officials toward the tunnel. Eyewitnesses said several match officials narrowly escaped injury, while players and coaches from both teams fled the field.
“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 at the stadium recounted.
This is not the first violent incident in the NPFL this season. In April, fans of Shooting Stars reportedly held players, coaches, referees, and journalists hostage for over an hour at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan after a goalless draw with Ikorodu City.
Ikorodu City FC spokesperson Samuel Bamisebi confirmed that it took military intervention to disperse the angry crowd and evacuate those trapped inside the dressing rooms.
“It was our fans who suffered most,” he said. “Their bus was destroyed, and one person was injured. Many lost their phones while trying to record the incident.”
Bamisebi dismissed rumours that the stadium lights were deliberately turned off to intimidate the visiting team, explaining that the blackout affected the entire facility and no players or officials were harmed.