By Amaechi Agbo

Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL side, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi have been been banished to play their home matches at the Ahmed Bello Stadium in Kaduna indefinitely and fined a total sum of four million naira, www.bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

The sanctions followed Wikki Tourists fans’ attack on Enyimba International FC during their matchday 19 encounter in Bauchi las week.

In handing the sanctions, the league organisers, League Management Company, LMC also directed Wikki to play their home matches behind closed doors and handed a suspended 3 Points deduction on the event of a repeat of such act.

The LMC in a release on Wednesday noted that “following the conclusion of investigations of the aftermath of the MatchDay 19 fixture between Wikki Tourists and Enyimba International in Bauchi, the League Management Company (LMC) on Wednesday ordered an indefinite closure of the Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi and directed Wikki Tourists to play their home fixtures at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna behind closed doors.

“In a Summary Jurisdiction notice issued the club, the LMC ruled that home games of the Bauchi club shall be played in Kaduna for an indefinite period until a “proper suitable security plan is presented to the LMC for approval”.

Other sanctions levied on the club include a suspended three-point deduction which will last till the end of the season. This places a burden of good conduct on the club, failing which the points’ deduction will be activated.

Wikki Tourists is to also defray any certified medical bills and damages incurred by Enyimba International as a result of the fracas that ensued after the match.

For additional breaches, the club was fined a total of Four Million Naira (N4,000,000) which includes One Million Naira each for failure to provide adequate security, failure to ensure restriction of access to unauthorized persons to restricted areas and for throwing of objects unto the playing field as well as payment of compensation of N250,000 each for assault of the four match officials.  

Wikki was charged for breaches of Rule B13.52 of the Frameworks and Rules of the Nigeria
Professional Football League (NPFL) for failure to provide adequate security and ensure restriction of access to unauthorized persons to restricted areas, which resulted in the harassment and intimidation of Match Officials and players of the visiting team.

The second charge was that the club was in breach of Rule B13.18 in that some of the supporters encroached on the field of play at the end of the match.

In the third charge, the club was found to have breached Rule B8.21 for failing to provide adequate security for Match Officials after the match, which resulted in their harassment at the stadium.

On count four, the LMC charged Wikki Tourists for breach of Rule C1 for assault of the Match Officials by their fans which is capable of bringing the league to disrepute which also resulted in a breach of previous warning issued the club by the LMC after the matchday 11 fixture against Enugu Rangers.

“Wikki Tourists are In accordance with Rule C26, required, within 48 hours of the date of the notice, to either submit to the summary jurisdiction and the sanctions or elect to be dealt with by a disciplinary panel, ” the release concluded.

The 2022 NPFL season is currently on a two-week hiatus and will resume Sunday, April 3rd.