Supporters of Premier League side, Zamfara United, went on rampage in Gusau during Sunday’s league game against visiting Sunshine Stars.
A statement from the media department of Sunshine Stars made available to Naijaligue.blogspot.com claimed that the home fans started its intimidating tactics last Saturday when officials of the club went to the Sardauna Memorial Stadium to have a look at the pitch.
Sunshine Stars’ spokesman, Tony Ogunkua, also alleged in his statement that the pre-match meeting was invaded by fans of the host team in the possession of dangerous weapons.
“Trouble started when we went to feel the pitch on Saturday after the match between Dallatu United and FC Taraba, our coordinator and the coach were beaten. During the pre-match meeting, some hoodlums in the name of Zamfara United supporters club invaded the meeting room wielding dangerous instruments, including arrows, axe and cutlasses demanded that our northeast coordinator, Abubakar Abubakar, be disallowed from attending.
“They also demanded that the team manager, Rasheed Balogun, should leave the venue. While they were demanding the exit of these two officials, our technical adviser, Solomon Ogbeide, tried to explain why the two should be in the meeting, he was rained blows. This happened in the presence of the former NPL vice chairman, Alhaji Shehu Sani Gusau,” read the statement from Sunshine Stars.
The pre-match conference had to end without conclusion since the match commissioner could not control the situation.
On matchday, Sunshine Stars said the fans of Zamfara United came into the stadium “with cutlasses and axes threatening the match officials that should they be funny, they will not hesitate to attack them with the instruments they were holding. The match progressed but not without tension from the supporters who were throwing stones at the referees.”
The referees were also not left out of the attack, according to Sunshine Stars, and the visiting side indicted Shehu Gusau for allegedly refusing to intervene.
“Eventually, the first half ended 0-0 but the referees were threatened with attack if they should enter the dressing room, which prompted the referee to insist he would not enter the dressing room for fear of being attacked. Yet, Alhaji Gusau, who wants to return on the board of the NPL, could do nothing to stop them.
“He, in fact, warned the referee at a time that if he thinks he can do the bidding of somebody, he would be severely dealt with and nothing will happen. Seeing a top official talking like this, the referee had no option than to save him from the impending danger by awarding a questionable penalty,” said Ogunkua.
Sunshine Stars queried why the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) was not at the Gusau centre to broadcast the match.
But Zamfara United general manager, Gusau, said the allegations against his side were untrue because as at last Saturday he was in Sokoto and officials of Sunshine Stars did not inform him of any attack.
But Zamfara United general manager, Gusau, said the allegations against his side were untrue because as at last Saturday he was in Sokoto and officials of Sunshine Stars did not inform him of any attack.
Gusau, who was vice chairman of the immediate past Premier League board, pointed out that Sunshine Stars is trying to use the media to fight Zamfara United, which he frowns at.
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