Nigerian Club Releases Strong Statement After Fans Slash Rival Player’s Throat During League Game
- Katsina United has strongly denied claims that their supporters attacked Barau FC player Nana Abraham
- Barau FC alleges Abraham was slashed on the jawline after the club scored an equaliser in their NPFL clash
- The NPFL is expected to investigate the incident and take necessary disciplinary action on Kastina United
Katsina United has issued a strong statement following claims that a Barau FC player, Nana Abraham, was attacked during their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) encounter on Saturday.
The match, held at Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, ended in a 1-1 draw after Orji Kalu scored an equaliser for Barau FC in the 69th minute.
Source: Twitter
Barau FC claimed that Abraham was assaulted by a pitch invader wielding a sharp object, leaving him with a cut on his jawline.
The incident was reportedly captured in photos posted on the club’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, showing the player bleeding and being shielded by teammates.
However, Katsina United strongly refuted the allegations, describing them as lies fabricated about a player’s throat being slashed, The Cable reports.
“These are lies fabricated about a player’s throat being slashed. This is the said player in these four videos after the match; you can see what happened and how his teammates are shielding him from cameras as fake bandages fall off,” Katsina United stated with a video evidence posted on their social media handles.
The club shared video evidence from the match, claiming it disproves the reports of violence.
According to Katsina United, the videos show Abraham after the match with no injuries consistent with the alleged attack, and they assert that none of their fans entered the pitch or assaulted the player.
Barau FC claims incident happened
Barau FC’s director of media operations, Ahmad Gwale, had stated that the assault occurred shortly after their equaliser, suggesting involvement of either a Katsina United fan or someone from the home bench, People Gazette reports.
Source: Twitter
Gwale claimed the assailant used “something like a sharp object” and left Abraham injured.
The incident comes just weeks after another violent episode in the NPFL, when Kano Pillars fans attacked a referee following a late equaliser by Shooting Stars (3SC) in a league match.
Barau FC’s allegations have sparked renewed concern about fan violence and safety standards in Nigerian football stadiums.
NPFL expected to investigate incident
In its statement, Katsina United emphasised its commitment to professionalism, discipline, and fair play, both on and off the field.
The club said the tense atmosphere during the match, which stemmed from contentious officiating decisions, was managed without incident and within the boundaries of order and security.
Katsina United also noted that Barau FC’s response appeared to amplify this false narrative and stated that the matter would be left to the League Management Body (LMC) for investigation and appropriate action in line with NPFL rules.
The NPFL is expected to review all evidence from the match, including video footage and official reports, before determining the next steps.
Officials of both teams will be watching closely to see how the league addresses this controversial incident, as calls for stricter enforcement against fan violence continue to grow.
Nigerian footballer escapes death
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that tension boiled over during a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clash between Katsina United and Barau Football Club on Saturday, after a player had his jawline slashed.
The incident happened moments after Barau’s Orji Kalu scored a 69th-minute equaliser to level the game at 1-1, and some Katsina United fans erupted in violence.
Source: Legit.ng
