The Nigeria National League (NNL) has slapped Gateway United FC with heavy sanctions — including a ₦4.3 million fine and a home stadium ban after violent conduct toward match officials during their Matchday 9 fixture against Smart City FC.
The incidents unfolded on January 10, 2026, at MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where chaos erupted following a 1–1 draw. Reports from match officials detailed harassment, intimidation and physical assault by Gateway United supporters and club officials after the final whistle. Even the Ogun State FA Secretary, present as an NFF representative, was reportedly harassed and attacked.
NNL’s disciplinary committee found Gateway United guilty of violating multiple league regulations. As a result, the fines were broken down as: ₦1 million for stadium encroachment and disturbances, ₦3 million for assaulting match officials, and ₦300,000 to cover medical costs for injured officials.
In addition to the fine, the club must play its next two home matches against Edel FC and Beyond Limits FC — at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ekiti State. The NNL also suspended Gateway United official Toyin Jimoh for four matches for threats and intimidation before the game.
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Gateway United has 72 hours to submit the names of individuals involved in the incident, or face further sanctions. All fines must also be paid before the second stanza of the 2025/26 NNL season begins.
The league reiterated its zero-tolerance approach to violence and stressed the importance of protecting match officials to uphold discipline and safety.
EDITORIAL
The NNL’s decisive action against Gateway United over the assault on match officials is not merely punitive it is a necessary assertion of football’s foundational principle that the game’s custodians, be they referees or administrators, must be safeguarded from intimidation and violence.
Football thrives on passion. It is the fuel that fills stadia and ignites conversation across streets and screens. Yet passion unmoored from respect corrodes the very fabric of competition. When a supporter or official crosses the line from fervour to physical aggression, they no longer animate the sport they undermine it.
In sanctioning Gateway United with substantial fines, a temporary loss of home advantage, and suspensions for individuals responsible, the league judges not just an offence, but a precedent. Violence against officials is not an isolated aberration it is a symptom of an environment where accountability has faltered. The NNL’s intervention serves as both remedy and warning that the safety of the sport’s custodians is non-negotiable.
This incident also reflects a broader challenge facing football in Nigeria: maintaining discipline across clubs, fans and officials alike. It isn’t enough for supporters to roar they must also respect boundaries. A stadium should be a theatre of athletic endeavour, not a battleground of confrontation.
Gateway United’s punishment should reverberate as a reminder that clubs are stewards of their fans’ conduct and culture. In football’s modern era, the game’s integrity depends upon institutions having the courage to check excess, and communities being willing to uphold it.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Gateway United’s sanctions were triggered by an incident involving both fans and club officials assaulting match officials after their 1–1 draw with Smart City FC.
- The NNL imposed a suspended match ban on official Toyin Jimoh for intimidation and harassment before the match.
- All fines must be paid before the start of the second stanza of the NNL season, or Gateway United faces further disciplinary action.
- Similar crowd violence issues have recently drawn fines and stadium bans for clubs in Nigerian leagues, including fines against plateau United and Ibom Angels in their respective competitions.
- The NNL’s regulations specifically prohibit assault and intimidation of match officials, with sanctions ranging from fines to stadium bans, underscoring the league’s commitment to match security.
