Date: 2021-03-30

Officials and players of Kwara United football club were on Sunday held hostage for over an hour by Kastina United fans after their team's 2-1 home loss to the Afonja warriors in the Nigeria Professional Football League.

"They held us hostage for over an hour, the referee was bruised and battered, we didn't know what was going to happen," Kwara United General Manager, Bashir Badawi. "It took over an hour before we were escorted out by the police, but everyone is fine, the players and officials were not injured and that is the most important thing."

Badawi stated that it took the intervention of the Nigeria Police Force before players and officials of the league leaders were safely escorted to their hotel.

The visitors had taken the lead through Afeez Nosiru in the fifth minute but were pegged back in the 30th minute courtesy of Josepe Atule's strike.

Striker Michael Ohanu scored a 96th minute winner for the visitors to earn the league leaders maximum points from the encounter.

Immediately after the final whistle, Katsina United fans encroached on the pitch and attacked the centre referee, who was severely injured and rushed to the hospital.

Players of Kwara United holed up in a dark room, while another video showed two ambulances at the exit part of the stadium, with players of the home team standing by the touchline, Punch Newspaper report said citing a video footage.