NPFL Referee Disguises As Police To Dodge Angry Fans Attack in Shooting Stars vs Ikorodu City Clash
- Ikorodu City players and officials were held hostage by fans after a goalless draw in Ibadan against Shooting Stars
- The centre referee escaped angry fans' attack by disguising herself as a police officer to leave the stadium
- Ikorodu City's bus was vandalised by the mob, with one official of the visiting team sustaining injuries
The dark side of Nigerian football took center stage again on Sunday evening, as 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: Twitter
They locked the Ikorodu City players and officials inside their dressing room, cut the power supply, and held them hostage in darkness for over two hours, Sahara Reporters disclosed.
The players of the visiting team were left stranded for over an hour, relying on their mobile phone lights for visibility.
The Ikorodu City team bus was also heavily vandalised, and one club official reportedly suffered injuries during the unrest.
It took the arrival of military escorts to guarantee the safe exit of the visiting team from the stadium.
Referee evades mob disguised as Police
In one of the most dramatic twists of the evening, the centre referee reportedly disguised herself as a police officer to escape the wrath of angry fans, who held her responsible for the dropped points.
Believing her officiating influenced the outcome, the crowd outside became increasingly hostile, forcing her to take the unusual measure to avoid physical assault.
Dressed in a borrowed police uniform, she was able to slip through the crowd undetected and leave the premises safely.
Eyewitnesses described the situation as “terrifying,” emphasising how close the referee came to being physically harmed.
Security lapses and league implications
The event has once again brought to light the inadequate security measures at NPFL stadiums.
Source: Twitter
The fact that a match official had to disguise herself to escape harm highlights a worrying trend in Nigerian football, where officiating can become a matter of life and death.
With the result, Shooting Stars now sit fourth on the table with 48 points from 32 matches, while Ikorodu City follow closely in fifth place with 46 points and a game in hand.
However, Sunday’s match will be remembered not for the football, but for the unexpected breakdown of order and safety in a Nigerian league game.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, but it is expected that Shooting Stars will be heavily punished for the chaos on Sunday.
Centre referee beaten in U-19 game
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that another assault incident occurred in Ilorin, Kwara State, as an official Kano Pillars U19 player attacked a football official.
The match between Kwara United and Kano Pillars ended 1-0 in favour of the home team, and the actions of the Sai Masugida technical member crew have been condemned by the club's management.
The club official was seen strangling the centre referee after their 1-0 defeat to Kwara United.
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Source: Legit.ng
