NPL Places Seven Stadia On Violence Watch List

Following the spate of violence that has rocked the top-tier of league football in Nigeria, the country’s arbiter of the top-flight division, the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) has named seven stadia as being on its watch list.

In a statement made available to Naijaligue.blogspot.com the seven centres were given as Tafawa Balewa Stadium (Bauchi), Aper Aku Stadium (Makurdi), Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium (Enugu), Ilorin Township Stadium (Ilorin), Kaduna Township Stadium (Kaduna), Bako Kantogara Stadium (Minna) and Sardauna Memorial Stadium (Gusau).

The grounds belong to Wikki Tourist, Lobi Stars, Enugu Rangers, Kwara United, Niger Tornadoes, Zamfara United as well as Kaduna United and Ranch Bees, who both share the Kaduna Township Stadium.

Executive Secretary of the Premier League, Alhassan Yakmut, who has been saddled with administration of the top-flight division since the dissolution of the last board, warned that cases of crowd violence or harassment of match officials and away teams would no longer be condoned.

“I’m totally displeased with the recent attitude of club supporters who rapidly are becoming club destroyers at league venues. We are not going to tolerate cases of violence and intimidation by any supporters club anymore and I like to warn that any similar incident recorded from the following stadia thereafter will attract banishment as they are now on our watch list.

“The stadia are Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, Aper Aku Stadium, Markurdi, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, Ilorin Township Stadium, Kaduna Township Stadiu,m Bako Kantogara Stadium, Minna and Sardauna Memorial Stadium, Gusau,” said Yakmut.