NFF Appeals Committee Reverses NPFL Banishment of Remo Stars

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Appeals Committee has overturned the decision of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) to banish Remo Stars F.C. from their home ground, ordering that the club’s matches be returned to Ikenne with immediate effect.

The NPFL had earlier sanctioned the defending champions following crowd disturbances during their Matchday 20 fixture against Ikorodu City F.C. on January 14. In its ruling, the league body fined Remo Stars ₦7 million for breaching its Framework and Rules and directed that the club play its home matches at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.

According to the NPFL, Remo Stars failed to provide adequate security for the encounter, resulting in clashes between supporters of both teams. The league stated that the disturbances led to injuries among away fans and damage to vehicles.

The disciplinary panel also held that the club did not ensure proper conduct of its supporters, citing incidents of harassment and intimidation of match officials. It further reported that objects were thrown onto the pitch, causing repeated stoppages, and alleged that dangerous items were brought into the stadium — actions it said brought the game into disrepute.

However, in a decision delivered on Friday, February 27, 2026, the NFF Appeals Committee set aside the NPFL’s banishment order, clearing the way for Remo Stars to return to the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.

The Ikenne-based side are scheduled to host Katsina United F.C. on Sunday, March 1, 2026, in what will be their first home fixture since the sanction was lifted. The match will also mark the first game in charge for the club’s newly appointed coach, Usman Abd’Allah.

Remo Stars currently sit 19th on the league table with 27 points from 27 matches as they fight to climb out of the relegation zone, with the return to their home ground expected to provide a timely boost in their survival bid.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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