Kun Khalifat swoop for quartet as Owerri club steps up NPFL rebuild

Kun Khalifat of Owerri have launched an early transfer drive by confirming the capture of four Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) players as part of a major squad overhaul for the 2026-27 campaign.

The Imo State side – who narrowly avoided relegation last season – have moved to reinforce their midfield and defence with the arrival of experienced names from across the domestic league.

Midfield duo Hogan Umoh, signed from Enyimba of Aba, and Chima Deruo, recruited from Niger Tornadoes of Minna, headline the new arrivals.

They are joined by Bendel Insurance centre-back Preye Seikrowei and Calabar Rovers defensive midfielder Ediri Ejogharado in what the club is billing as the first phase of an ambitious rebuild under head coach Obinna Uzoho.

Four-player deal ‘already a done deal’

In a statement issued by Kun Khalifat’s media department, the club confirmed that all four signings have completed their moves and will join up with the squad as preparations intensify for the new NPFL season.

“For now, the four players have signed documents for us. It’s already a done deal”, the statement added.

Umoh, who has been with multiple-time Nigerian champions Enyimba, is expected to bring top-flight experience and creativity to Kun Khalifat’s midfield, while Deruo adds further depth and competition in the middle of the park after his spell with Niger Tornadoes.

Seikrowei, arriving from Bendel Insurance of Benin, is set to strengthen the heart of the defence, an area that came under scrutiny during the club’s fraught escape from the drop last term.

Ejogharado, formerly of Calabar Rovers, will offer steel and protection in front of the back line as a defensive midfielder, underlining the technical crew’s focus on shoring up the spine of the team.

Narrow escape drives overhaul

Kun Khalifat endured a tense finish to the last NPFL season, surviving relegation “by the whiskers” and prompting a review of the squad’s depth and consistency.

Coach Uzoho and the club hierarchy have signalled their intention not to endure a similar struggle, with this early transfer activity framed as the beginning of a broader restructuring ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Club insiders say the Owerri outfit is targeting a more stable mid-table or top-half finish, with the new signings expected to inject both experience and competition for places.

The club has also recently talked up its ambitions in high-profile fixtures; in comments reported earlier, Uzoho declared Kun Khalifat are “ready to take down ‘Old Dog’ Kano Pillars”, in a sign of the growing confidence around the camp.

More business expected

While the club has not yet disclosed the contract lengths or financial details of the deals, officials suggest this will not be the end of their transfer activity.

With pre-season on the horizon and the NPFL calendar taking shape, Kun Khalifat are expected to continue monitoring targets across the league as they seek to add further quality in attack and widen their options on the flanks.

For supporters in Owerri, the early announcement of four new faces offers a sense of renewed optimism after a turbulent campaign, and sets the stage for what could be one of the club’s most important seasons in recent years.