In a bid to forestall further disruption of football matches in the current season, the Nigeria National League (NNL) has come down heavily on Jigawa Golden Stars for the crowd trouble which led to the abandonment of their Week One league match against Wikki Tourists of Bauchi.
Rising from an emergency meeting in Abuja yesterday, the management of NNL handed out series of sanctions to the Dutse-based club for the acts of hooliganism which brought the game to disrepute even as the visiting team has been awarded three points and three goals.
In addition, Jigawa Golden Stars will have to play their next three matches behind closed doors just as the club will pay a fine of N1m into the coffers of the NNL and it must be paid before the team’s next home match to serve as a deterrent to any other club that will foment trouble in the league.
According to the NNL secretary, Lawrence Katken, the sanction meted out to Jigawa Golden Stars in the wake of the disruption of their first season’s match against Wikki Tourists is as a result of the contravention of the Article 1.3 of the Rules and Regulations of the competition.
It will be recalled that the above mentioned match was disrupted and abandoned in the 79th minute after the match officials were alleged to have been molested and visiting team players and officials manhandled by home team’s supporters. Wikki was leading 1 – 0 before Jigawa Golden Stars’ fans encroached into the field of play.
