The Kwara State Sports Commission has issued an apology regarding the regrettable outbreak of violence during the rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day 22 fixture between Kwara United and Rivers United in Ilorin.

The incident took place on Wednesday at the Rashidi Yekini Main Bowl, where the home side, Kwara United, were held to a 1-1 draw by the visiting Rivers United.

Following the disturbing scenes in which a high-ranking Rivers United official, Okey Kpalukwu, sustained severe injuries, the Executive Chairman of the Kwara Sports Commission, Bola Mogaji, offered an apology during an interview with AIT.live. He stated that the apology was essential as the Commission is a responsible body that opposes all forms of violence.

Mogaji remarked that the crowd disturbances following the encounter between the Kwara State-owned club and their Rivers State counterparts were unfortunate. However, he expressed the opinion that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should avoid imposing excessive sanctions that could cripple the team.

"Sanctions are necessary to serve as a deterrent for erring parties. But it defeats the purpose when it is too heavy as it might lead to a situation where the team cannot survive. Most of the time these things are caused by poor officiating which provokes negative reactions from uninformed fans, and the Football Associations who do not provide adequate security," Mogaji stated.

He further noted, "We at the Kwara State Sports Commission have been engaging stakeholders including management, staff as well as supporters of the team in anti-violence enlightenment campaigns for the past six years. We have been here which is why this particular case is a one-off. In as much as we recognise the fact that the rules have been flouted, we beg the authorities to temper justice with mercy. we can pay the nine million Naira fine. But points deduction and banishment will kill the team."

Reacting to the development, the immediate past Rivers State Sports Commissioner, Chris Green, who oversees the management of Rivers United, disagreed with Mogaji's position, asserting that this was not the first instance of violence recorded at the Kwara State Sports Complex.

"Just a couple of years ago, I suffered from their kind of hospitality' personally. Alongside other members of our contingent, I was beaten black and blue at that same stadium," Green remarked.

Green, a former head of the NFF Technical Committee, acknowledged the apology from Bola Mogaji but maintained that the sanctions of points deduction and banishment were appropriate. "Taking the rules into consideration, the sanctions are in order. The infractions attract the punishment as has been applied. Asking for anything milder would amount to bending the rules. Someone as highly placed as Okey Kpalukwu, a chief is lying critically injured with lacerations on his eyes. We accept Kwara's apology. But what if he had been killed would apologies recompense for loss of life?" he asked.

In addition to the deduction of points, Kwara United are required to play their upcoming home matches at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, pending the outcome of their appeal.