Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) has strongly refuted claims that they held the players and officials of Ikorodu City hostage following their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match on Sunday at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
The highly anticipated Southwest derby ended in a goalless draw, but the match descended into chaos after the final whistle, with angry 3SC supporters allegedly confronting match officials, players, and the Ikorodu City team. Reports and viral videos circulating on social media claimed that the Ikorodu City bus was damaged and some of their personnel were injured before being escorted out of the stadium by security forces after almost two hours.
However, 3SC’s management issued a statement denying the hostage claims, stating, “We wish to clearly state that no players or officials were held hostage after Sunday’s match.” The club explained that their decision to keep the teams and officials inside the stadium was a precautionary measure. “We acted in the best interest of safety for both teams and the match officials after we were informed of the unsafe and disorderly situation outside,” the statement continued.
The club also denied allegations that Ikorodu City’s players and officials were attacked, or that their bus had been damaged. “Nothing of the sort occurred. The team left the venue safely and was well-guarded by security personnel,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, confirmed that the board would thoroughly review the official reports of the match and the incidents that followed. “We will look into the report and all the accusations that have been made and take an action that will serve as a deterrent to other clubs. We can handle everything and will assess the rules and the limits of the offences,” Owumi told our correspondent.
Sunday’s 0-0 draw dealt a blow to Shooting Stars’ continental ambitions, leaving them in fourth place on the NPFL table with 48 points from 32 matches, while Ikorodu City are just two points behind in sixth position with 46 points.
