Relegation Stares Champion In The Face

Premier League champion, Bayelsa United, could be faced with the possibility of being relegated at the end of this season’s campaign after it was sanctioned by the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) on Monday.

Bayelsa United’s punishment is that it would play its only remaining home game against Lobi Stars in Kano after it was banished there by the Premier League.

In the wake of the sanction, fears have heightened in the camp of last season’s champion that it could be relegated considering the side’s poor form away from home.

Already some players in the Bayelsa United team are looking at the option of quitting the club at the end of this season should the Yenagoa-based club be relegated.

However, NPL Executive Secretary, Alhassan Yakmut, explained that the banishment of Bayelsa United was as a result of match officials being manhandled by the home side’s fans in a rescheduled league game last Thursday in Yenagoa.

"The fans after the game took the law into their hands and molested the match officials. The clubs know that they are responsible for the safety of match officials before, during and after matches.

"So they have their last home game in Kano against Lobi Stars. And since the Sani Abacha is under ban, they will have to play in the only stadium available in Kano," Yakmut told the official website of the NPL.

Bayelsa United is the third side to be banished this season after Kano Pillars and Ranch Bees suffered similar fate for crowd disturbances at their home grounds.