POLICE DISMISS RUMOURS OF BARAU FC PLAYER’S ‘SLAYING’ BY KATSINA UNITED FANS
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The Katsina State Police Command has debunked reports alleging that Barau FC player, Nana Abraham, was “slaughtered” by fans of Katsina United FC during a Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match in Katsina.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, described the claims as “entirely false, mischievous, and a calculated attempt to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the state.”
The rumours followed Barau FC’s NPFL Week 12 away fixture against Katsina United at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium on Saturday. Reports had circulated online alleging that Abraham sustained a deep neck cut after being attacked by enraged fans who invaded the pitch following Barau’s equaliser in the 69th minute.
Barau FC had also posted about the incident on their official X (formerly Twitter) account, confirming that the match was temporarily halted after an attack on the player.
However, the police stated that Abraham was safe and maintained that there was no record of any physical confrontation between fans and players, officials, or staff members during or after the game.
“We will not hesitate to track down and prosecute anyone found guilty of spreading false information capable of causing public unrest,” the statement warned.
The command reiterated its commitment to maintaining peace and public safety under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Shehu.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has fined Katsina United ₦9 million and ordered them to play all remaining home matches behind closed doors in Jos.
In a statement on Sunday, the NPFL charged the club with failing to control supporters, inadequate security, and allowing unauthorized access to restricted areas. It noted that objects thrown by fans injured Barau FC players and disrupted play.
“Katsina United supporters displayed conduct capable of bringing the game into disrepute,” the NPFL stated.
Before the sanctions were announced, the club’s media director, Nasir Gide, dismissed the reports of violence as “a deliberate attempt to tarnish the club’s image,” insisting that security operatives maintained order throughout the match.
He added that the club had demanded retractions from platforms that published the claims and threatened legal action.
Saturday’s unrest comes just weeks after Kano Pillars faced similar sanctions for crowd violence in October, when fans invaded the pitch during a league match against Shooting Stars in Kano. The club was fined ₦9.5 million, handed a points deduction, and had its Sani Abacha Stadium shut indefinity,
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