By Wale Mustapha
Elkanemi Warriors head coach Kabiru Dogo has commended his players following their impressive 2-0 victory over Bendel Insurance in their opening fixture of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season on Sunday in Maiduguri.
The Borno Army got off to a bright start as Al’amin Umar put them ahead in the first half before Daddy Abdulrahman sealed the win after the break, ensuring a perfect beginning to life under their new tactician.
Dogo, who was appointed only last month, expressed delight at how quickly his side adapted to his methods.
“The boys played exactly to instructions. What we do in training was exactly what they showed on the field — discipline, dedication, and commitment,” Dogo told the club’s official website.
“I’m truly impressed, and I believe, In Sha Allah, we will continue to give our best throughout the season.”
The victory puts Elkanemi Warriors temporarily at the top of the NPFL table after Matchday One, a morale-boosting start for the newly guided side.
The Maiduguri-based outfit will next travel to Lagos, where they face Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, this weekend.
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.
