From football to war zone: ‘Hooliganism’ plagues NPFL yet again

As the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season nears its end, hooliganism has continued to rear its ugly head. The most recent incident occurred in Week 32, when Shooting Stars (3SC) hosted Ikorodu City in Ibadan. The visiting team was reportedly held hostage in their dressing room late into the night—a stark reflection of […]

As the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season nears its end, hooliganism has continued to rear its ugly head. The most recent incident occurred in Week 32, when Shooting Stars (3SC) hosted Ikorodu City in Ibadan.

The visiting team was reportedly held hostage in their dressing room late into the night—a stark reflection of the violence plaguing Nigeria’s top-flight league.

In this season, the league has witnessed multiple acts of hooliganism. In Week 11, Plateau United’s match against Enugu Rangers descended into chaos, with players and officials of the away team attacked. That same week, violence marred the Bendel Insurance vs. Kano Pillars game.

Although the NPFL sanctioned the offending clubs for security lapses, similar scenes resurfaced in Week 18 when Rivers United officials were assaulted in Lafia. Nasarawa United were hit with point deductions and fines, yet the league continues to struggle with containing the toxic culture of violence.

Daily Trust highlights several factors that fuel the recurring violence in the NPFL:

NPFL’s light-handed sanctions

One major driver of hooliganism is the league organisers’ soft-handed approach to discipline. Offenders are often let off with minimal penalties—light fines or brief stadium bans—which do little to deter future misconduct. This sends a dangerous message: that violent behaviour can be tolerated, or at worst, bought off.

Without stringent and consistent consequences, a culture of impunity has taken root. Fans, players, and even club officials often act without fear of lasting repercussions, perpetuating the cycle of violence.

 

Home fans’ desperation for points

In the NPFL, home games are treated as sacred, and any loss is taken personally by fans. The pressure to win at home often turns toxic, with emotions running high when the team underperforms or match officials make contentious decisions.

In such charged atmospheres, a dubious call or an opponent’s goal can ignite chaos. The obsession with protecting the sanctity of  home ground drives some fans to cross the line, turning stadiums into battlegrounds rather than arenas of sport.

 

Retaliation driven by rivalries and social media banter

Long-standing rivalries in the NPFL, often inflamed by past grudges and online taunts, have made violence a retaliatory tool. Fans remember controversial matches and disputed decisions, and these memories often fuel hostility in future encounters.

Social media has become a catalyst, with inflammatory posts and banter escalating tensions. What begins as banter online can quickly turn into physical confrontations on matchdays, continuing a dangerous tit-for-tat cycle.

 

Lack of understanding of the laws of the game

Many fans approach football with passion, but not necessarily knowledge. Misinterpretation of the game’s rules—especially referee decisions—often triggers unrest.

Offside calls, penalties, or disciplinary actions are regularly viewed through biased lenses. When these decisions go against the home team, they are perceived as deliberate injustices, leading to violent reactions fuelled by ignorance rather than logic.

 

Inadequate security by host football associations

Poor planning and execution of security measures have left many NPFL matches vulnerable. Stadiums are frequently overcrowded, with ill-equipped or insufficient security personnel failing to maintain order.

Fans often gain unauthorized access to the pitch, and rival supporters are seated without proper segregation. These lapses create an environment ripe for chaos.

Even when law enforcement is present, they are sometimes too few or poorly coordinated to be effective. Until host FAs prioritize security as a non-negotiable requirement, violent outbreaks will remain a grim feature of the NPFL.

As the NPFL gains momentum and the competition intensifies, tackling the menace of hooliganism has become more urgent than ever. Reacting after the fact is no longer sufficient—what the league needs are proactive, long-term solutions. These should include stiffer penalties for offenders, targeted fan education, enhanced matchday security, and an uncompromising zero-tolerance stance on violence, no matter the club or circumstances involved.

Without these reforms, the cycle of chaos will persist, and hooliganism will remain a troubling fixture in Nigerian football.