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LMC threatens to punish Pillars for fans’ misconduct in league match

The League Management Company (LMC), said on Friday that it would sanction Kano Pillars FC accordingly following the misconduct of its fans in a mid-week match against Enyimba Int’l FC of Aba.
Shehu Dikko

Shehu Dikko

The League Management Company (LMC), said on Friday that it would sanction Kano Pillars FC accordingly following the misconduct of its fans in a mid-week match against Enyimba Int’l FC of Aba.

Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the LMC told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the league management would take decisive action once it received the report of the match.

NAN reports that the rescheduled week 7 match saw Pillars’ fans throw some objects onto the pitch immediately Nzube Anaezemba equalised Rabiu Ali’s goal.

It took the intervention of the police and the President of the Nigeria Football Referees Association (NFRA), Tade Azeez, to control the surge of the crowd.

The situation however, led to an attack on Enyimba’s driver, who sustained injuries after he was hit with an object.

Dikko said “Of course, there is sanction for that and once the report comes in and we confirm the correct situation, relevant penalties as prescribed by the rule book will be applied.

“We will definitely act when we get the reports but from our premium art finding including confirmation from Enyimba, though security was breached, Enyimba or match officials were never attacked.

“Enyimba’s driver that got hurt was not in the stadium and he was the driver of the pilot car.

“He chose to go outside to bring his car inside the same time the fans were leaving and he was hit by stones or so.

“The big issue is that we had an unprecedented crowd for a midweek game and some of them messed up.

“Only the Enyimba’s driver was affected and it was outside the stadium, as both teams and officials were kept in the dressing rooms for safety until the stadium was evacuated,’’ Dikko said.

The LMC boss argued that the injury sustained by the driver might have emanated from the fans outside after the game.

He urged Nigerians to focus on the positive side of the game and not the negative side, noting that the fact that more than 40, 000 fans watched the encounter was unprecedented.

“Well, the game was great with good football and an unprecedented crowd for a midweek game and thus, we should try to push the positives while dealing with the negatives.

“Only the driver sustained injury and it was outside the stadium and the same driver was able to drive after the match to Kaduna, meaning that he was not as hurt as being peddled.

“Even, during the Manchester Utd versus Everton match in UK, there was trouble with the fans but it was dealt with while the game positives were pushed forward,’’ he added.

Dikko also said that the difference between Giwa’s case was that the match was not concluded while that of Pillars was concluded.

He further said, “Giwa issue got complicated as the match could not be completed and has to be abandoned.

“This is in spite of the fact that the match was stopped and restarted four times but the fans refused to allow the game to be completed.

“Once this happens, then a team must be banished for a minimum of three games.

“Also in Giwa match, the match officials were beaten at half time but they resolved to complete the game by coming out for the second half but it was impossible as the fans prevented their work.

“Once a match is abandoned, it must be completed at a neutral venue and that was why the match was brought to Abuja,” he said.

NAN reports that the LMC recently banished Giwa FC to Ilorin and slammed a heavy fine on them, following the trouble that marred their Match Day 12 fixture against Enugu Rangers in Jos.

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