Kwara: Football Fans Lament Constant Theft of Motorcycles During NPFL Matches at Ilorin Stadium
- Motorcycle theft during Kwara United home games at the Ilorin stadium has become a recurring issue, leaving fans frustrated and vulnerable
- Several supporters have lost their bikes during recent matches, prompting calls for urgent action from the Kwara State Government and relevant authorities
- While a ticketing initiative exists for bike registration, poor awareness and lack of adequate security continue to hamper efforts to protect fans’ property
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Football fans in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, have raised the alarm over the rising motorcycle theft cases during Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) matches at the Kwara state stadium complex.
The latest incident occurred on Sunday during the NPFL tie between Kwara United and Bendel Insurance of Edo State. The match, which kicked off at 5:30 pm under floodlights, ended in disappointment for at least five supporters who returned to find their motorcycles stolen.
Source: Getty Images
Motorcyclers complain of unaddressed theft of property at stadium
Legit.ng gathered that this was not an isolated case. The theft of motorcycles has reportedly become a regular occurrence during Kwara United’s home matches, with similar incidents recorded during the club’s last five games at the Ilorin stadium this season.
Many of the victims are die-hard fans who, despite the economic hardship, always make it to the stadium to support their team.
Now, they are calling on the Kwara State Government and the stadium management to take urgent action to secure the premises.
Victims share stinging experience with Legit.ng
One of the victims, Yusuf Salaudeen, a commercial motorcyclist, shared his ordeal with Legit.ng.
“I came to support Kwara United because I love this club. I parked my bike outside the stadium like I always do, but after the match, I couldn’t find it. It’s painful. That bike is what I use to feed my family,” the Okada man said.
Another fan, Rasaq, also lost his motorcycle during the Sunday evening game.
“This is not the first time it’s happening. We’ve been complaining about this issue for a long time. There’s little or no security outside the stadium during matches, especially evening ones. These criminals know it, and they are using the opportunity to steal from us,” he said.
“There is no way you lock your machine, they will unlock the chain. It is if they always come with a master key,” Rasaq added.
Some fans are now threatening to boycott future matches if security is not improved.
“We love football, but our safety and property matter too,” said Ibrahim, a resident of Gambari area of Ilorin.
He said he narrowly escaped losing his own motorcycle during the match because one of the motorcycles close to his was stolen during a match against Nasarawa United on March 26, 2026.
He continued:
“Imagine, if I don’t have a bike, my transportation to the stadium will be around N2,000 daily and this is a journey that I will not even spend more than N500 fuel for my bike to take to watch the match.
“If nothing is done, many fans will stop coming. What’s the point of coming to support your team and going home on foot?”
Fans beg concerned parties to intervene
Football enthusiasts in the state have called on the Kwara State Sports Commission, Kwara United management, and the Nigeria Police to work together in addressing the growing concern.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng learned further that the stadium management already provided a mechanism to solve this problem but lack of awareness and resources is making it less effective.
“Everybody knows bringing bikes to the stadium is not safe. Sometimes we hear cases up to 10 every match day and the stadium management has instructed the fans to register their bike before entering the main bowl. They will pay N200 to get the registered ticket for their bike. But the problem we have is many of the fans were not even aware there is an initiative like this,” an official of the stadium told Legit.ng.
“The second issue is that we do not have the resources to guard all the bikes brought to the stadium on match days. We genuinely need assistance from security personnel to help us secure these bikes outside the stadium,” the official added.
Plateau United star stabbed by angry fans
In a recent development, Plateau United player Vincent Temitope was stabbed by Nasarawa United fans after a heated NPFL match, allegedly due to his outstanding performance.
The attack occurred despite recent NPFL approval allowing fans back into Lafia Township Stadium under strict security conditions.
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Source: Legit.ng
Ibrahim Sofiyullaha (Editorial Assistant) Ibrahim Sofiyullaha is a graduate of First Technical University, Ibadan. He was the founder and pioneer Editor-in-Chief of a fast-rising campus journalism outfit at his university. Ibrahim is a coauthor of the book Julie, or Sylvia, written in collaboration with two prominent Western authors. He was ranked as the 9th best young writer in Africa by the International Sports Press Association. Ibrahim has contributed insightful articles for major platforms, including Sportskeeda in the UK and Motherly in the United States. Email: ibrahim.sofiyullaha@corp.legit.ng
Atanda Omobolaji (Kwara State Correspondent)
