NPFL: Something big is set to happen in Maiduguri (photos)

– Nigerian Premier League action is set to return to Maiduguri as El Kanemi may return home soon

– The team was advised to play in neighbouring states for fear of insurgency in 2014

– Club secretary says Maiduguri is now safe for football

As the Nigerian Military continues the extensive battle to eliminate Boko Haram totally from Borno state, El-Kanemi football club are on the verge of returning to their home ground in Maiduguri to continue their quest for glory in the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL).

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The Borno Army were advised to dump their El Kanemi stadium in 2014 for fear of insurgents as many of the local clubs were wary of the Borno state capital.

The team played in Kano in 2014 and are currently playing their home games in Katsina, a situation the captain of the side Souleymanu Dori says has negatively affected the team’s NPFL campaign this season especially, with their 3 – 1 loss to MFM FC in Lagos, where they traveled for about 48hours by road.

“Fatigue cost us this game. We got to Lagos after almost 48hours and we had to play our game a couple of hours later.

“We want to plead with the Borno state government as well as the federal government to come to our aid especially with the away matches.

“We are far away from other states. It is so stressful because we are returning again and it would take us another 48hours,” Souleymanu told NAIJ.com Sports

Souleymanu Dori

The defender expressed delight ahead of their imminent return to their home ground in Maiduguri, saying the Borno state capital is now safe.

“It is very safe. There are no problems in Maiduguri. The insurgents are only notable the out skirts and not the main capital of Borno.

“In fact, if you visit Maiduguri, you will see that people are going about their normal businesses,” he raved.

After their loss to MFM FC in Lagos, El Kanemi FC head coach, Ladan Bosso, lamented that lack of funds as well as logistic problems are responsible for their performance in Lagos.

“The plan was that we would travel by air, only at the last minute we were told there were only nine tickets.

“It was difficult for me to choose some to fly while others go by road. So we all decided to come by road,” he told journalists after the game.

Ladan Bosso

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There are strong indications that the League Management Company may soon consider returning the club to their base after the team’s secretary, Tahiru Bala, in a statement to the football body disclosed that Maiduguri is now safe to host matches, claiming that the money spent to prosecute matches in Katsina as their hoe ground is taking a toll on the team.

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