NPFL: Katsina United deny reports of player stabbing

Katsina United Football Club has dismissed reports that a Barau FC player was stabbed during their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 12 clash at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium on Saturday, describing the accounts as “false, misleading and unfounded.”In a statement released on Sunday and signed by the club’s Media Directorate, Katsina United expressed “deep disappointment” over what it called “misleading and unfounded reports circulated by an online publication” regarding the alleged assault on Barau FC midfielder, Nana Abraham.The club said, contrary to several viral reports, there was no pitch invasion or violent incident involving its supporters.“The publication in question made several false claims, suggesting that supporters invaded the pitch, that the situation at the stadium was chaotic, and that a player had been slaughtered. These assertions are entirely false and do not reflect what truly transpired,” Katsina United said.The statement added that at no point during the game did “any supporter gain access to the main pitch.” It acknowledged that the match was tense due to “contentious officiating decisions,” but maintained that it was managed “within the confines of order and security.”The club condemned the reports as “mischievous” and potentially damaging to both its reputation and the broader development of football in Katsina State. “This act is not only mischievous but also capable of damaging the image of the Club and undermining the progress of football development in Katsina State and the country at large,” the club said.It also called on the media outlet responsible for the report to issue a public apology, warning that failure to do so would compel the club to “seek redress through appropriate legal channels.”“We therefore advise the publishers of this misleading report to retract their story and issue a public apology immediately. Failure to do so will leave the Club with no choice but to seek redress through appropriate legal channels,” the statement read.Conflicting accounts of incidentThe club’s rebuttal came less than 24 hours after Barau FC reported that its player, Nana Abraham, and team official, Jabir Hassan, were attacked shortly after the team equalised in the 69th minute of the game, which ended 1–1.Barau FC’s Media Director, Ahmad Hamisu Gwale, had earlier confirmed that Abraham sustained a neck injury from what he described as an attack by “one person from the Katsina United bench or one of their fans.”“The match was temporarily halted after the attack, but resumed shortly with the assaulted player substituted,” Mr Gwale told TheCable.In a follow-up statement on Sunday, Barau FC said the injured player was treated immediately by the club’s medical team, led by Sani Idris, alongside other victims who sustained minor injuries.Nana Abraham, in his first public comment after the incident, said he was feeling better. “Thank God I am feeling better right now. Actually, our medical team did their best in treating my injuries,” he said.“It’s unfortunate what happened. Football is not a war — you can either win, draw, or lose. We’ve played five home games, won one, drawn three, and lost one, nothing happened. So why should we be attacked here?”A season of violent flashpointsThis latest controversy adds to a worrying pattern of assaults and fan unrest that has marred the 2025/26 NPFL season.In October, the league imposed heavy sanctions on Kano Pillars after fans invaded the Sani Abacha Stadium pitch during a 1–1 draw with Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC). Several match officials and away players were reportedly assaulted in the chaos, leading to a ₦9.5 million fine, a three-point deduction, and an indefinite stadium ban.Responding at the time, NPFL Chief Operating Officer Davidson Owumi reiterated the league’s “zero-tolerance policy for violence,” saying: “We will invoke the rules wherever and whenever required to keep bad behaviour of fans, players and officials out of the league.”Earlier in the year, Plateau United forward, Vincent Temitope, was also stabbed in the neck by a fan following a league game in Lafia against Nasarawa United — a case that drew national outrage.Awaiting official actionAs of Sunday, the NPFL board had yet to issue an official statement on the Katsina incident, though league sources confirmed that match reports from the commissioner and security agencies had been requested.