By Akinwale Kasali
As expected, World Soccer Governing Body, FIFA, has wielded the big stick on Nigeria following the pitch invasion by angry fans at the Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola Stadium, Abuja, by indefinitely suspending the usage of the Stadium from hosting international matches.
The irate fans had invaded the pitch wreaking havoc and destroying the newly refurbished stadium following the failure of the Super Eagles of Nigeria to defeat their Ghanaian counterpart to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup party. Ghana bundled Nigeria out of the World Cup to be hosted by Qatar.
The pitch invasion also, allegedly, led to the death of Zambian CAF/FIFA Doping official, Joseph Kabango who collapsed and died of Cardiac Arrest.
Though FIFA had indefinitely suspended the usage of the Stadium, but there are insinuations that Nigeria will still suffer further sanctions as FIFA and CAF are yet to meet to ascertain further sanctions to be meted out to the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF for failing to provide adequate security for the game.
It would be recalled that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Committee, in May 2006, sanctioned Nigeria with a $5,000 for poor crowd control at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, where the Super Eagles hosted Egypt in a Gabon 2017 African Nations Cup qualifier in March.
The organisers of the match allowed a crowd of over 40,000 inside the stadium designed to hold 25,000 spectators.
The Super Eagles and the Pharaohs drew 1-1 in that encounter, with the Egyptians subsequently defeating Nigeria 1-0 in the return fixture to stop the Eagles from qualifying for the competition.
At the 2000 African Cup Of Nations tournament co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana, Nigeria was sanctioned by CAF following crowd encroachment on the pitch in the Quarter Final match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Teranga Lions of Senegal at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The game had gone on extra time with Julius Aghahowa scoring a goal which fans had thought was a Golden goal. In wild jubilation, they invaded the pitch before security operatives restored calm for the resumption of the match.
Nigeria was heavily fined for that breach of security.
