Breaking: Police Arraign Nasarawa United Fan Who Injured Plateau United Star after NPFL Clash

• A Nasarawa United supporter, Bashir Bala, was arraigned and sentenced after stabbing Plateau United player Vincent Temitope following an NPFL match in Lafia
• The attack, which occurred after Temitope’s impressive performance, left him with a neck injury and sparked nationwide outrage
• Although the club denied the stabbing, the police confirmed the incident and told Legit.ng what has been done so far

Lafia, Nasarawa state - The Nigerian Police Force, Nasarawa state command, has arraigned a Nasarawa United Football Club supporter, Bashir Bala, for injuring Plateau United player, Vincent Temitope, shortly after a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match in Lafia on Sunday, April 13.

Police spokesperson, DSP Rahman Nansel, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with Legit.ng on Thursday evening, April 17, disclosing that Bala was charged before the chief magistrate court 3 in Lafia.

“Suspect was charged to court today. He admitted to the crime and was sentenced. I think there was an option of fine,” Nansel stated.

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How Bala attacked Plateau United player

Bala was arraigned on charges of assault, use of criminal force, and disturbance of public peace following his brutal attack on Temitope, who had just delivered a standout performance during the matchday 13 fixture.

The attack, which left Temitope with a stab wound to the neck, drew national outrage and renewed scrutiny over security lapses at NPFL match venues.

Eyewitnesses said the assault occurred moments after the final whistle, when a mob of Nasarawa United fans stormed the pitch in anger.

“The guy scored and missed one penalty during the match, and he played well,” a witness told Legit.ng.

“Immediately after the final whistle, the fans entered the field and some were armed. He was attacked and stabbed in the neck. Maybe because they saw him as a threat to their team,” the eyewitness added.

Despite losing 3-2 to the hosts, Temitope's spirited display appeared to provoke the fury of some Nasarawa supporters, who targeted him as the symbol of their team’s shaky defence.

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Plateau United’s spokesperson confirms incident

Plateau United’s director of media operations, Yaksat Maklek, confirmed the incident, saying:

“Fans attacked him after the game clearly in response to his stellar performance against them.”

Temitope was immediately rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Lafia, where he received emergency treatment and was later discharged in stable condition.

The violence unfolded barely a week after the NPFL lifted a previous ban on Nasarawa United fans, allowing them back into the Lafia Township Stadium under “strict security conditions” following earlier episodes of crowd trouble.

However, Sunday’s incident has once again exposed the deep-rooted issues of fan violence plaguing Nigerian football, raising urgent questions about the NPFL’s ability to enforce safety regulations.

Nasarawa United management reacts

Reacting, the management of Nasarawa United claimed that Temitope was not stabbed as reported by the visiting team.

In an official statement issued on Tuesday, April 15, the Lafia-based club said:

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“Our attention has been drawn to a disturbing trend of fake news circulating on social media, falsely claiming that a fan of our team stabbed a player of Plateau United FC, Vincent Temitope, in the neck.

“We feel compelled to set the record straight and dispel this baseless narrative.”

NPFL referee disguises as police to dodge angry fans

In a related incident, chaos erupted at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, following a tense 0-0 draw between Shooting Stars SC (3SC) and Ikorodu City FC in the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

After the final whistle, furious Shooting Stars FC supporters, enraged by their team’s inability to secure a home win, descended into violence.

Source: Legit.ng