Kano Pillars have been slammed with a N15 million fine by the Nigeria Premier Football League following serious misconduct during their Matchday 35 clash against Rivers United.
The league body found the club guilty of failing to provide adequate and effective security for the fixture, a lapse that led to further breaches during the game. Matters escalated when supporters invaded the pitch, disrupting proceedings and raising safety concerns.
In addition, fans were cited for acts of misconduct directed at match officials, behaviour the NPFL said undermines the integrity and smooth running of the competition.
As part of the punishment, Kano Pillars will now play their next three home matches behind closed doors. This includes their only remaining home fixture this season, while the other two sanctions will carry over into the start of the next campaign. The club has also been given a 48 hour window to appeal the decision.
This is not the first time the Sai Masu Gida have faced disciplinary action this season. Earlier in the campaign, they were handed an indefinite stadium ban, forced to move their home games to Katsina, and suffered a three point and three goal deduction following crowd trouble during a 1-1 draw against Shooting Stars. That incident reportedly resulted in injuries to opposition players and match officials.
However, after lodging a protest, the club saw the punishment reduced by the Nigeria Football Federation disciplinary committee, which converted the indefinite ban into a five match stadium suspension effective from the original date.
The latest sanctions underline the league’s continued push to enforce discipline and improve matchday safety as the season approaches its final stretch.
