Chaos in Lafia: Plateau United’s Vincent Temitope Stabbed by Fan After Missing Late Penalty
Violence erupted at the Lafia City Stadium on Sunday, April 13, 2025, when Plateau United’s forward, Vincent Temitope, was stabbed in the neck by a knife-wielding fan following their 3-2 defeat to Nasarawa United in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). The brutal attack took place shortly after the final whistle, sparking nationwide outrage over growing insecurity in Nigerian football....READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE | READ ORIGINAL & FULL CONTENT FROM SOURCE...
Temitope had a rollercoaster performance during the high-stakes Matchday 33 encounter, scoring a brilliant solo goal in the 58th minute before missing a crucial stoppage-time penalty that could have leveled the scoreline. Just minutes after the final whistle, a disturbing video surfaced online showing the striker bleeding from a cut near his neck, with reports claiming he was ambushed by angry home fans.
Eyewitness accounts, including footage posted by Rhairom Zamora of Jay FM Jos, alleged that Nasarawa United supporters were behind the assault. In one of the videos circulating on social media, a Hausa-speaking man described how some fans “attempted to kill” Temitope, pointing to a deepening crisis of player safety in the domestic league.
Nasarawa United had taken the lead in the 22nd minute through league top scorer Anas Yusuf, who notched his 15th goal of the season. They extended their advantage with goals from Ugochukwu Leonard in the 54th minute and again in the 74th, before Plateau United clawed back two goals—Temitope’s strike and a last-gasp goal by Samuel Pam.
Despite both clubs sitting on 42 points after the clash, Plateau United (13th) edged Nasarawa United (14th) due to a superior goal difference. With only five games left in the season, the tension around survival and mid-table pride is intensifying, but not at the cost of human lives, fans argue.
At the time of filing this report, neither the League Management Company (LMC) nor the clubs had released official statements on the incident. However, pressure is mounting from the public and sports analysts demanding immediate disciplinary action, including stadium bans and stricter security measures.
The NPFL has long battled image problems tied to poor officiating, fan violence, and administrative lapses. This latest act of brutality underscores the urgent need for reforms to protect players, officials, and spectators and to restore faith in the league’s integrity.