Fans hold match officials ‘hostage’ at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa stadium

March 29, 2017 11:42 PM

The Center Referee and his two Assistance Referees were blocked from entering the dressing room by the fans after the first half of the encounter.

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium

Some protesting football fans in Bauchi on Wednesday held referees and other match officials ‘hostage’ for some minutes at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fans and supporters were protesting alleged poor officiating of a match between Wikki Toutists FC of Bauchi and Enyimba International FC of Abia in the ongoing Nigerian Professional Football League.

The Center Referee, Mohammed Umar, and his two Assistance Referees, Taiye Fasanya and Zaidu Abdullahi were blocked from entering the dressing room by the fans after the first half of the encounter.

The fans had overpowered security operatives manning the entrance to field before blocking the officials and issuing threats.

The officials were later rescued by combined team of security agents and escorted into the dressing room.

The western side of the 15,000 capacity stadium was thrown into pandemonium as the dissatisfied fans started throwing stones and sachet water at the officials and security operatives.

NAN however reports that on resumption in the second half, a lone goal by the host team in the 72 minute through Victor Alegbe, saw the fans jubilating wildly, resulting in two of them getting injured.

When the game ended 1-0 in favour of Wikki, officials of the two teams and their players hurriedly left for fear of their safety, even as journalists pursued them for comments but without success.