Bayelsa United, Wikki Tourists Relegated as NPFL Title Race Heads to Final Day

Former Nigeria Premier Football League champions Bayelsa United and Wikki Tourists have been relegated from the top flight following painful defeats on Matchday 37 of the NPFL season.

Bayelsa United suffered a 2-1 loss away to newly crowned champions Remo Stars in Ikenne, while Wikki Tourists were beaten 3-2 at home by Rivers United in Bauchi.

At the Remo Stars Stadium, Ofem Nneoyi gave Bayelsa United an early advantage in the fifth minute after calmly finishing past goalkeeper Adebiyi Obassa in a one-on-one situation. Remo Stars responded before halftime through Alex Oyowah, who headed home the equaliser in the 40th minute. Victor Mbaoma then sealed the comeback with the winning goal in the 64th minute.

In Bauchi, Wikki Tourists twice took the lead in a thrilling encounter against Rivers United. Jonathan Mairiga opened the scoring in the 21st minute before Imamu Bala restored their advantage shortly after the restart. However, Rivers United fought back through goals from Handsome Surveyor and Chijioke Mbaoma before Taofeek Otaniyi netted the decisive goal five minutes from time to keep the title race alive until the final day.

Rangers International remained firmly in the hunt for a ninth league title after edging Bendel Insurance 2-1 in Enugu. Godwin Obaje scored twice for Rangers, while Alex Oweilayefa grabbed the visitors’ lone goal.

The championship battle will now be decided on the final day of the season, with Rangers travelling to face Ikorodu City, while Rivers United host Katsina United.

Shooting Stars Sports Club boosted their hopes of securing continental football with a narrow 1-0 victory over Barau FC thanks to Lucky Emmanuel’s first-half strike.

Ikorodu City, another contender for a continental slot, endured a disappointing 4-1 defeat away to Katsina United. Jamilu Yusuf scored twice, while Azeez Falolu and Daniel Agara also found the net. Abayomi Ayodeji scored Ikorodu City’s consolation goal.

Elsewhere, Kano Pillars and Kwara United boosted their survival hopes with important wins over Warri Wolves and Enyimba respectively.

Rabiu Ali converted from the penalty spot to hand Kano Pillars a 1-0 win, while Bright Babatunde’s first-half brace secured a 2-0 victory for Kwara United.

Nasarawa United defeated Plateau United 1-0 through JoFrank Istifanus, though the result was not enough to keep their continental ambitions alive.

One of the standout performances of the round came in Aba, where Uchechukwu Onuoha scored twice as Kun Khalifat FC defeated Abia Warriors 2-0 to strengthen their chances of surviving in the NPFL.

The clash between El-Kanemi Warriors and Niger Tornadoes ended in a goalless draw.

The final round of fixtures will be played on May 24.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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