Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Monday, November 10, 2025, 05:42 / Updated Monday, November 10, 2025 05:43
Barau FC midfielder Nana Kwame Abraham (22) is the young footballer at the center of a shocking attack by supporters during the match between Katsina United and FC Barau in Katsina on Saturday. The incident has brought back issues of crowd control and player safety in the NPFL, Nigeria's premier football league.
The 22-year-old player suffered a deep cut on his neck after being assaulted by a section of Katsina United supporters during the Round of 12 match on Saturday, November 8.
The violence broke out shortly after Barau FC equalized through a goal scored by Orji Kalu in the 69th minute, a moment that angered a section of the home crowd, according to ghanaweb.com.
Club Barau FC confirmed the incident on platform X, posting a picture of the injured player and the message: “Min. 70: The match is temporarily stopped following an attack on Barau FC player Nana Abraham. Katsina United | 1–1 | Barau FC.”
The match resumed shortly after the incident
Despite the attack, the match eventually resumed and ended 1-1, but the violent scenes made headlines and drew widespread condemnation in Nigerian football.
According to reports, the midfielder has begun his recovery after receiving medical attention right on the pitch. Although the wound was deep, his condition is now stable.
In a statement to the club's media department on Sunday morning, Nana Abraham expressed relief but also dismay at the attack after escaping with his life.
“Thank God, I feel better now. Our medical team did everything possible to treat my injuries. It's unfortunate what happened. Football is not a war, you can win, draw or lose. We played five games at home, won one, drew three and lost one, and nothing happened. Why were we attacked here?” he said, according to the source quoted above.
NPFL authorities are to open an investigation into the case, as pressure mounts to impose tougher sanctions on clubs whose fans resort to violence.
Born on September 9, 2003, Nana Kwame Abraham holds Nigerian citizenship, although he was born to a Ghanaian father and a Nigerian mother. The midfielder joined Barau FC from Niger's AS GNN ahead of the 2025/26 NPFL season.
In his first 12 appearances this season, Nana Kwame started six times, came on as a substitute once and was benched twice.
So far, he has been a constant presence in Barau's midfield, helping the newly-promoted side stay in the top flight.
