Shooting Stars Penalised ₦5m, Fans Banned After Ikorodu City Attack

Shooting Stars Sports Club 3SC have been hit with fines totalling ₦5 million and handed a stadium ban for the remainder of the season following a violent incident involving fans after their NPFL Matchday 32 clash with Ikorodu City FC. The match, held at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, ended in chaos as supporters of the home side reportedly attacked members of the visiting contingent.

A disciplinary panel found the club guilty on three counts: inadequate security provision, failure to control supporters, and allowing projectiles to be thrown at officials and onto the pitch. The panel ruled that these lapses contributed to the harassment of Ikorodu City FC players and officials, as well as the damage to their team bus.

The club was fined ₦1 million for each of the three major offences, plus an additional ₦1 million for breaching Rule B13.18 related to crowd behaviour. Furthermore, they must pay ₦2 million in damages to Ikorodu City FC.

In addition to financial penalties, fans are now barred from attending 3SC home matches at the Lekan Salami Stadium for the rest of the current campaign. Under Rule C26, the club has been given 48 hours to accept the ruling or lodge an appeal.

Editorial

We cannot continue to excuse violence in Nigerian football what happened in Ibadan is unacceptable. The sanctions handed to Shooting Stars are not only justified, but necessary to send a clear message: fan misconduct will not be tolerated, and clubs must take responsibility for ensuring safety and order during matches.

When supporters cross the line from passion to aggression, the entire game suffers. Players, officials, and travelling teams deserve an environment where the focus is on football not fear. The ₦5 million in fines, while hefty, should act as a wake-up call. But more importantly, the decision to shut the stadium to fans for the rest of the season is critical in restoring sanity and reinforcing consequences.

Shooting Stars is a club with history, pride, and a loyal fanbase. But loyalty must not become a licence for lawlessness. The responsibility to educate, guide, and where necessary, discipline supporters lies squarely on the shoulders of the club’s leadership.

We urge the NPFL and all stakeholders to hold firm on these standards. Let this ruling be a precedent, not a one off. Nigerian football is on the rise, but without crowd control, security, and accountability, progress will remain fragile.

Let’s ensure that when fans return to the stands, they do so not as threats to order but as true supporters of the beautiful game.

Did You Know?

1. Shooting Stars SC, based in Ibadan, is one of Nigeria’s oldest and most storied football clubs, founded in 1950.
2. The Lekan Salami Stadium, 3SC’s home ground, was renovated in 2021 to meet modern standards but has had several crowd-related incidents.
3. Rule B13.18 in the NPFL framework pertains specifically to preventing fans from endangering match officials or players by throwing objects.
4. Ikorodu City FC, though relatively young, has quickly become one of the emerging teams in Nigerian football since its formation in 2020.
5. The NPFL allows clubs to appeal disciplinary rulings within 48 hours under Rule C26, though such appeals rarely overturn fan-related bans.