The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Disciplinary Committee has fined Kwara United ₦5 million and upheld a deduction of three points and three goals from the club’s accumulated tally, reducing the earlier ₦9 million fine imposed by the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on February 19.
Kwara United had appealed the NPFL’s initial sanctions, which included a ₦9 million fine, a three-point and three-goal deduction, and an order to play the remainder of their home matches at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta. The Ilorin-based club argued that the penalties were excessive compared to the offence committed.
The sanctions followed a pitch invasion by home supporters after Kwara United’s 1-1 draw against Rivers United in a rescheduled league fixture in Ilorin. During the incident, fans reportedly threw stones and plastic bottles at the visiting team’s players, while the centre referee was also assaulted.
At a disciplinary committee sitting held on March 3, which also considered the case involving Wikki Tourists, the panel – chaired by Barrister Jude Obikwelu with Barrister A.I. Abdulrahman (Vice Chairman), Barrister Bello Galadi (Member), Barrister Wole Ademoyegun (Member), and Queen W. Otarakpo, Esq. (Secretary) – reviewed the case and upheld some of the sanctions imposed by the NPFL while reducing others.
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Part of the committee’s statement read: “Decision of the meeting of the NFF Disciplinary Committee held on March 3, 2026, on the protest lodged by Kwara United against the decision of the NPFL regarding the match played between Kwara United FC and Rivers United on February 18.”
The committee found that Kwara United failed to provide adequate and effective security, which allowed unauthorized persons to gain access to restricted areas. It also determined that the club failed to ensure the proper conduct of its supporters, resulting in harassment and injuries to the centre referee as well as players and officials of the away team.
Furthermore, the committee noted that Kwara United supporters threw dangerous objects such as stones, wood, and metal objects onto the field of play, actions considered capable of bringing the game into disrepute.
In its summary decision, the committee upheld a total fine of ₦5 million against the club, broken down as follows: ₦2 million for failure to provide adequate security, ₦1 million for failure to control supporters, and ₦2 million as compensation for medical treatment and damages suffered by match officials and the visiting team’s officials.
The committee also upheld the NPFL’s decision to deduct three points and three goals from the club’s accumulated total for the assault on match officials.
However, while the NPFL had earlier ordered Kwara United to play the remainder of their home matches at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, the disciplinary committee reduced the punishment to five matches away from their home ground.
The NPFL had previously fined Kwara United the sum of N9m.
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