By Wale Mustapha
Niger Tornadoes have been handed a major boost ahead of their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 34 encounter against Bayelsa United, with three key players returning to the squad.
The Ikon Allah Boys will host the Prosperity Boys at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna in what is expected to be a tightly contested fixture.
Midfielders Daniel and Family have resumed full training with the team after recovering from injuries, while Ibrahim has rejoined the squad following his participation with the national U20 team, the Flying Eagles.
The return of the trio is seen as a timely reinforcement for the Tornadoes, who are seeking to bounce back from a 4-1 defeat suffered in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
Niger Tornadoes currently sit 12th on the NPFL table with 43 points, while Bayelsa United occupy 10th place with 45 points.
The result of Sunday’s match could have significant implications in the race for a top-half finish as the league season enters its final stretch.
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.
