ABS Ilorin FC speaks on Doma United Coach incident, cry out over poor officiating
ABS Ilorin FC speaks on Doma United Coach incident, cry out over poor officiating
Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC wishes to address reports circulating following our Nigeria National League Matchday 12 fixture against Doma United at the Rashidi Yekini Main Bowl of the George Innih Stadium, Ilorin, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
The attention of the club has been drawn to allegations suggesting that a coach of Doma United was attacked during events surrounding the match.
While ABS Ilorin FC acknowledges that an incident occurred after the game, it is important to clarify the circumstances and present the full facts of what transpired.
Before addressing the post-match incident, the club also wishes to express serious concern over the officiating of the match by the centre referee, Mahmud Ibrahim of the Kogi State Referees Association. During the course of the game, ABS Ilorin FC were denied several clear penalty appeals after incidents inside the Doma United penalty area. In total, the team believes at least five legitimate penalty situations were ignored by the referee.
Prior to the match, the club had received information suggesting that the referee might have been compromised by Doma United. Based on this information, ABS Ilorin FC formally communicated with the relevant authorities requesting that the referee be replaced for the fixture. Unfortunately, no change was made and the same official went on to officiate the match.
The series of questionable decisions during the game created frustration among players, officials, and supporters, as many felt the team had been unfairly treated despite dominating large spells of the match.
Coach Boyin Ayodele incident.
Regarding the post-match incident involving Doma United coach Boyin Ayodele, the club wishes to clarify that tensions had already surfaced before the match. Coach Ayodele, a former goalkeeper coach of ABS Ilorin FC who joined Doma United shortly before the start of the current season, confronted the ABS club secretary, Mrs Funmilayo Owolabi during the pre-match meeting where he questioned the appointment of the club’s head coach, Ogundeji Joel. Asking if Oguns would have been his boss if he was still with the club.
After the final whistle, Coach Boyin Ayodele approached coach Ogundeji Joel punched him as a result of a beef between them believed to be linked to unresolved issues from last season when he was part of the ABS technical setup. His actions triggered the situation and were carried out with the confidence of being a home boy in Ilorin, which further escalated tensions.
The confrontation attracted the attention of supporters in the stadium, and some fans reacted emotionally to what they perceived as a provocation against their coach. This led to a brief confrontation involving Coach Ayodele.
ABS Ilorin FC wishes to make it clear that the reaction from supporters was spontaneous and came only after Coach Ayodele initiated the confrontation. It is also important to state that no players or other officials of Doma United were targeted during the incident.
Security personnel and match officials quickly intervened to restore calm and ensure the situation did not escalate further.
ABS Ilorin FC remains one of the most peaceful and hospitable clubs in Nigerian football and has consistently maintained a safe and welcoming environment for visiting teams, officials, and supporters. The club does not condone violence in any form and remains committed to discipline, fairness, and respect within the game.
The club will continue to cooperate with the relevant football authorities on any review of the incident and hopes that the officiating of the match will also be thoroughly examined in the interest of fairness and the integrity of the competition.
