By Saheed Afolabi
Niger Tornadoes skipper, Mustapha Aliko, is filled with optimism as he targets glory for his side in the current Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
The Ikon Allah Boys will face Abia Warriors on Saturday, December 6, as they look to build on their recent 2-1 home victory over Remo Stars.
Aliko attributed the team’s solid performance to the unity and healthy competition within the squad, which has helped them maintain consistency.
“We have a strong squad and a good team spirit,” Aliko said, speaking to Sportsboom.com.
“We’ve been working hard in training, and I believe we have what it takes to win the league title.”
The Niger Tornadoes captain also emphasized the importance of consistency and being clinical in front of goal.
“We need to be consistent in our performances and work together as a team. We also need to be clinical in front of goal and take our chances when they come,” he added.
Currently sitting in 8th place with 21 points from 15 matches, the Ikon Allah Boys trail league leaders Rivers United by eight points, but Aliko remains confident in their ability to challenge for the title.
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.
