Niger Tornadoes F.C.

Niger Tornadoes Football Club is a soccer club based in Minna, Nigeria, currently playing in the second division of Nigerian football. Their home stadium is Bako Kontagora Stadium and have also played home game at Confluence Stadium in Lokoja.

Niger Tornadoes
Full nameNiger Tornadoes Football Club
Nickname(s)Ikon Allah
Founded1977
GroundBako Kontagora Stadium
Minna, Nigeria
Capacity5,000
ChairmanHon. Adamu Aliyu Mohammed
ManagerHamza Abara
LeagueNigerian Professional Football League (NPFL)

History

In 2005 they finished in the lower half of the Nigerian Premier League but avoided relegation by three points. The club has suffered financial difficulties, with players complaining of unpaid salaries and bonuses.

After an 0–3 start to the 2008–09 season the entire management was sacked. The replacements at chairman (David Suleiman) and manager (Danladi Nasidi) had the same positions at the club from 2004–05 when they finished 13th and 14th in the Premier League. On November 15, the team hired Justin Tenger as technical adviser, a role he had until 2004.

They were relegated from the Premier League in 2012 on goal difference after scoring 38 goals in 36 games. Thirteen of the goals were scored by Sibi Gwar who was the league's top scorer. They won promotion again in 2015 after winning the Nigeria National League.

Niger Tornadoes were promoted back to the top division in 2015. Coach Abdullahi Biffo led them to a promotion spot which they clinched after defeating Mighty Jets F.C. 2–0.[1]

Niger Tornadoes were runners up in the Nigerian FA Cup in 2017 after losing on penalties to Akwa United.[2]

The club was fined N1 million in 2019 for crowd troubles in a game against Bendel Insurance.[3]

Achievements
  • Nigerian FA Cup: 1
2000
1996, 2015

Performance in CAF competitions
  • CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance
2001 – Quarter-finals
  • WAFU Club Championship: 1 appearance
2010 – Quarter-finals

Current team

As of 11 February 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Ndem Innocent
2 James Martins Iko
3 FW Anthony Onyebuchi Onyeakazi
4 Moses Ugwu
5 DF Sunday Akinmoladun
6 DF Sarki Ismaila
7 MF Tanko Awwal
8 MF Adetola Ayo
10 MF Ahmed Liman
11 Eric Frimpong
13 Peter Abashiya
14 MF Obinna Jacob
No. Position Player
17 DF Ibrahim Babawo Abubakar
20 FW Mustapha Jibrin
21 DF Andrew Ikefe
22 FW Osondu Jonathan
23 FW Udeh Clement
27 Atsen Emmanuel
28 Iorliam Gwaza
30 GK Mustapha Salihu Aliko
32 Mohammed Aliyu
33 Wakili Musa Abdullahi
34 Mushinu Attairu
35 MF Abiodun Afolabi
36 Mohammed Abubakar
38 Bashar Usman

References
  1. Prince, Toby (September 30, 2015). "Meet the four teams promoted to the Nigeria Premier League". qed.ng.
  2. "Akwa Utd Defeats Tornadoes to Win Maiden Aiteo Cup". thisdaylive.com.
  3. "LMC fines Niger Tornadoes N1 million for crowd troubles". Dailytimes.ng. February 7, 2015.
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