With the state of frequent cases of violence at different match venues in the Nigeria Professional Football League this season, keen followers and observers of the Nations topflight game have expressed concerns about the development, which may affect the growth of the league. Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Incidents of violence have long plagued the NPFL, with one of the ugliest scenes recorded at the 2019 play-offs in Lagos, when fans of Kano Pillars went gaga after their game against Enugu Rangers.
Wikki Tourists and Remo Stars are the latest culprits of the big stick with their cases just a week apart, raising concerns about the recurrence of such incidents.
This season, three clubs, namely Bayelsa United, Remo Stars and Wikki Tourists have had three points deducted from their accrued tallies as punishment for assault on match officials by organisers of the league Interim Management Committee, while some other clubs have been fined for similar incidents.
In order to avoid the ugly incident from recurring,the former chairman of the NPFL, Rumson Baribote, believes the state football associations must be independent in order to check the desperation of clubs.
“Nobody wants to encourage violence in our football regardless of the fact that we can’t totally eradicate it,We must do everything possible to bring it to the bearest minimum" Baribote stated.
“However, there is still more to be done in order to keep it in check one of such is to make state FA totally independent from the clubs. The state FAs are responsible for organising matches, and if the FAs are collecting money from the clubs, it means they are not neutral.”
A Sports journalist and commentator Olaoluwa Adeleye, noted that match venues might no longer be safe for journalists too, urging the IMC to keep imposing sanctions on erring clubs
Sunshine Stars were fined N1m by the IMC recently and Ondo State Commissioner for Sports, Bamidele Ologunloluwa, said they had made efforts to educate their fans.