By Dayo Awoniyi
Wikki Tourists have bolstered their squad ahead of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season with the signing of experienced midfielder Naziru Auwalu on a free transfer.
The 26-year-old joins the Bauchi-based side following the expiration of his contract with Kano Pillars. He has signed a two-year deal with the “Bauchi Elephants” and is expected to play a key role in manager Abdullahi Maikaba’s midfield plans.
Auwalu spent several years with Kano Pillars, earning a reputation for his energy, vision, and ability to dictate play in the middle of the park.
His exit marked the end of an era with the Sai Masu Gida, but his move to Wikki is widely seen as a positive step for both the player and the club.
The timing of the signing is crucial for Wikki Tourists, who narrowly avoided relegation last season. The club has since embarked on a major rebuilding project under Maikaba, a seasoned NPFL tactician with previous spells at Akwa United and Rangers International.
Auwalu’s addition is expected to bring much-needed creativity and composure to the midfield as Wikki aim to re-establish themselves as top contenders in the league.
Wikki Tourists will kick off their NPFL campaign on Friday, August 22, with a tough home fixture against Plateau United at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium. The match is seen as an early test of their ambition for the new season.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
