By Wale Mustapha
Wikki Tourists Technical Adviser, Abdu Maikaba, has revealed that the club will reinforce its squad with promising talent from Nigeria’s lower divisions as they prepare for their return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The Bauchi-based club secured promotion to the top flight after a strong showing at the recent Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 playoffs held in Asaba, Delta State, marking their return to the NPFL after a two-year absence.
Speaking to Sport Light Hub, Maikaba hinted that he intends to replicate the blueprint that brought success during his first stint with the club in the 2015–16 season.
“The plans won’t be different from what we did in the 2015–16 season, where I met a team that had just been promoted,” Maikaba said.
“I continued with the core of the squad and added a few quality players from the lower league.”
Maikaba’s strategy emphasizes youth development and continuity, aiming to build a competitive team that can make a strong impression in the top flight.
The 2025–26 NPFL season is scheduled to kick off next month.
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.
