By Aderonke Ojo
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has announced that the Matchday 9 fixture between Barau FC and Kano Pillars will be played behind closed doors on Sunday.
In a letter dated Tuesday, 14th October 2025, and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body stated that the decision was taken for safety reasons.
According to the statement, “The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has directed that the Matchday 9 fixture between Barau FC and Kano Pillars be played behind closed doors in accordance with established safety and security protocols.”
The statement further added that only the following categories of personnel will be granted access to the stadium: referees’ council members, state football association officials, accredited members of the press, and security personnel.
A total of one hundred and twenty (120) persons only are expected to be present within the match arena. No spectators, supporters, or unauthorized individuals shall be admitted into the stadium under any circumstances.
Furthermore, the NPFL Secretariat will continue to deploy two (2) officials for subsequent Barau FC home matches to conduct on-the-spot assessments and provide detailed reports on compliance, organization, and security standards.
Barau FC has accepted the NPFL’s decision, despite earlier efforts to allow fans entry into the stadium.
The NPFL Matchday 9 fixture between Barau FC and Kano Pillars is scheduled for Sunday, 19th October 2025, at 4:00 PM, at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata.