By Ghazali Ibrahim
Chaos erupted at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium on Saturday when a player from Barau FC was brutally attacked by home fans of Katsina United following a 69th‑minute equaliser.
The match, a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture, ended 1‑1 but will be remembered for the violence that promptedly followed.
The drama began when Barau FC’s Orji Kalu struck to level the score, triggering a section of the Katsina United crowd.
Moments later, about the 70th minute, Barau FC’s Nana Abraham was assaulted and left with a deep neck wound.
The club confirmed the incident via their official X account:
“70′ The match is temporarily halted following an attack on Barau FC player, Nana Abraham. Katsina United | 1‑1 | Barau FC #MaliyaBoysTogetherForVictory #KatBar #NPFL26.”
Images obtained by reporters show Abraham bleeding as teammates and officials struggled to wrest control back from the turbulent crowd.
Security forces intervened and halted the match temporarily while efforts were made to secure the venue.
As of press time, neither the NPFL management nor Katsina United had issued a formal statement addressing the incident.
The event has reignited major concerns about crowd control and player safety in Nigerian football.
Just a month prior, a similar outbreak of violence at Kano’s Sani Abacha Stadium resulted in heavy sanctions for Kano Pillars FC, including a ₦9.5 million fine and supplemental punishments.
