By Wale Mustapha
Newly promoted Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side, Barau FC, have bolstered their squad with the acquisition of experienced players Jimmy Ambrose and Emmanuel Ikoko Jnr ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The club confirmed the arrivals of Ambrose from Plateau United and Ikoko Jnr from Katsina United, as they prepare for their first-ever campaign in the Nigerian top flight.
Between them, Ambrose and Ikoko have made over 200 appearances in the NPFL, bringing valuable experience and leadership to the Barau FC dressing room.
The duo is expected to play a key role in helping head coach Ladan Bosso navigate the challenges of top-tier football.
Barau FC will kick off their NPFL campaign with a high-profile fixture against eight-time champions Enyimba on Matchday One. The new season is scheduled to begin on Friday, August 22.
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.
