In the ongoing 2024–2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, Ikorodu City, a club based in Lagos, was reportedly taken hostage after a goalless draw with Shooting Stars SC (3SC) on Sunday, April 6, 2025.
In the dressing room at Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasingba, Ibadan, some angry Shooting Stars SC supporters barricaded Ikorodu City FC players and officials in order to vent their resentment after the aforementioned match.
According to video, stadium officials cut the power supply, leaving Ikorodu City’s players and officials in a darkened room and depending on the light from their cell phones.
“This is my first experience with it, but I have heard similar stories in the NPFL before,” one of the Ikorodu City officials said.
After the game ended in a goalless draw, he explained the situation by saying, “We are being held in the dressing room.” We are unable to leave, including officials and players, as the lights have been turned off. Vandalism has occurred on the team bus.
According to accounts, one official was hurt during the chaos, and additional footage showed that the visiting team’s bus was seriously damaged. Dissatisfaction with the team’s failure to win at home led to violence soon after the final whistle of the Match Day 32 match.
Out of disappointment, the supporters started hurling things onto the field, which led to the visiting players being locked in their dressing room. The mob took advantage of the lack of protection by physically attacking one of the officials and damaging the team bus of Ikorodu City.
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Unfortunately, these violent episodes in Nigerian football are not unique. There have been altercations between supporters, club officials, and referees in numerous stadiums throughout the nation over the years.
The Nigerian Army personnel were reported to have rescued and taken the players and officials from Ikorodu City out of the stadium.
After the game, Shooting Stars had 48 points from 32 games, good for fourth place in the league standings. Ikorodu City was not far behind, with 46 points from 31 games.
