By Dayo Awoniyi
Yobe Desert Stars have launched a major overhaul of their squad and technical setup following a disappointing end to their 2024/2025 Nigeria National League (NNL) campaign, dismissing the entire coaching staff and placing more than 20 players on the transfer list.
The Damaturu-based club, which began the season with promotion aspirations, endured a dramatic decline in form and ultimately failed to secure a return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
In a sweeping decision made by the club’s board, the contracts of the entire technical crew were terminated, along with those of the team captain and first-choice goalkeeper — a move widely seen as a response to perceived leadership failures both on and off the pitch.
“The board felt it was necessary to act decisively in order to restore discipline and competitiveness,” a club insider told reporters.
At least 20 players have also been released or made available for transfer as part of the club’s rebuilding process ahead of the next NNL season.
Despite the shake-up, the club’s secretary and media officer have retained their positions.
Yobe Desert Stars, once considered one of the emerging forces in northern Nigerian football, now face the challenge of reconstructing a squad capable of mounting a serious promotion push in what is expected to be an even more competitive NNL season.
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.
