By Wale Mustapha
Bendel Insurance FC have confirmed the signing of midfielder Austin Osayande ahead of the 2025/26 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.
The Benin-based club unveiled Osayande during a brief ceremony on Friday, expressing confidence in the midfielder’s ability to strengthen their squad for the new campaign.
“The creative spark returns, rising from the heart of Rivers United’s midfield to the soul of Benin City. The son of the soil is back,” the club wrote in a statement.
Osayande, a native of Benin City, rejoins his hometown club after a brief stint at Rivers United, where he made just two appearances last season.
His return is seen as both a sentimental and strategic move for the Benin Arsenals, who are aiming to build a more competitive squad for the upcoming season.
He becomes Bendel Insurance’s second signing of the transfer window, following the earlier arrival of Israel Emmanuel.
The club continues its preparations for the new season with a focus on blending experience and homegrown talent as they push for greater success in the NPFL.
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.
