League body orders club to identify hooligan

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has ordered Ranchers Bees to fish out one of their players who attacked a Rivers United player during their EuroMatch NPFL Matchday 6 encounter at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano on September 28.

The Katsina-based team, which was given until yesterday to produce the player, were also ordered to pay a N5 million fine for breaches of the Frameworks and Rules at the end of the game.

In a summary jurisdiction decision made after the match, signed by Dr Ayo Abdulrahman, the Chief Operating Officer of the NPFL, and dated September 29, the club was cited for violations of Rules B13.52, C1.1 and C9.

A fine of N2 million was imposed on the club for failure to provide adequate and effective security at the home match, which resulted in unauthorised persons gaining access to restricted areas of the stadium in breach of Rule B13.52.

Ranchers Bees also breached Rule C1.1 in not restraining some players and bench officials who intimidated, threatened and harassed the appointed match officials on the field of play, thereby engaging in conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute. It incurred a N1 million fine for the breach.

The club was also fined N1 million for failure to ensure the proper conduct of their supporters, who attempted to attack the match officials in breach of Rule C9. Another N1 million was imposed on the club for the holding of match officials hostage after the match.

“In accordance with Rule C26 of the Frameworks and Rules, you are required, within 48 hours of the date of this notice, to either submit to the summary jurisdiction and accept the sanctions imposed herein; or elect in writing to be dealt with by a disciplinary panel.”

“The fines shall be payable within seven working days from the expiration of the said appeal period.”