According to NNL, Nigeria League two side, Yobe Desert Stars will lose three points and three goals from their accrued number in group A4 of the Northern Conference, for assaults on match officials during match day five with DMD football of Borno at the August 27 Stadium in Damaturu, on Sunday 7 May 2023.
Verified match reports indicted Yobe Desert Stars for assaults on match officials which led to the center referee Shaarani Guza from Kano State Referees Council losing a tooth.
Referee Guza was beaten to a pulp and eventually hospitalized following attacks by alleged supporters of the club who swooped on him and his assistants (Samila Abdullahi and Hamza Garba).
Relying on relevant portions of its rule book, the NNL evoked the three-point and three-goal deduction.
Trouble started 84 minutes into the encounter after Yobe captain Barnabas Ingya was issued a second yellow card which saw him exit the match. The club supporters encroached onto the field attacking the referees, the action did not give room for the conclusion of the match.
Scoreline was 0-0 at the time of the incident.
However, NNL has ruled the match as complete following provisions of the rules and regulations.
NNL ruled further that:
1. Yobe Desert Stars will pay the sum of N1 million for assaults meted on the referees.
2. Yobe Desert Stars will pay the sum of N1 million for encroachment by their fans which disrupted the match proceedings.
3.N500,000(Five hundred thousand Naira) medical bills of the referees.
4. Another N500.000(Five hundred thousand Naira) will serve as a replacement for lost items of the match officials.
5. The supporters of Yobe Desert Stars are placed on a one-year ban from all activities of NNL.
6. That the next three home matches of Yobe Desert Stars will be played under strictly closed doors.
7. Mr.Abubakar Ago, Acting Chairman of Yobe Desert Stars is to stay away from the activities of NNL for one year, for the infamous and inglorious roles he blamed in the unfortunate incident.
Nigeria National League also urged the Yobe State Football Association to henceforth, ensure adequate and effective provision of security at all times at the August 27 Stadium in Damaturu.
